U.S. to Launch AI-Powered Tool for Air-Traffic Control
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Federal aviation officials are preparing to launch an AI-powered air-traffic control tool in one of the nation’s busiest corridors as soon as Monday, The Wall Street Journal’s Andrew Tangel writes.
The software, called Smart, is expected to help the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines reduce delays and cancellations and find routes for flights when disruptions scramble air traffic. It will make its debut in the Washington, D.C., area ahead of a broader nationwide rollout, according to government and industry officials.
Smart stands for Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories. The software can analyze airline schedules and factors such as weather, airport runway capacity and operational constraints to predict air-traffic flows and foresee potential conflicts.
The firm Air Space Intelligence won a $875 million, 12-year government contract earlier this year to build out Smart and a related system. When fully rolled out across U.S. airspace, it is supposed to act as something like the brains of the nation’s air-traffic control system.