U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy (left) and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford introduce the SMART air traffic management system at a new center in Washington, D.C. [Credit: U.S. Department of Transportation]
Key Takeaways:
The FAA has fully activated its AI-powered Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) system across all 22 national Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
SMART processes approximately 200 data streams to provide AI-informed routing and schedule recommendations to air traffic controllers, aiming to reduce delays, save fuel, and improve the travel experience.
Early results indicate the system has rerouted 180 flights, saving an average of 10 minutes and nearly 80 gallons of fuel per flight since its initial rollout.
Despite its phased deployment, SMART faces scrutiny from air traffic controllers' unions and lawmakers regarding its design, testing, and insufficient stakeholder involvement.
Pilots across the country may now receive routing and schedule recommendations from air traffic control (ATC) that were informed by an AI-powered system.
The FAA told FLYING on Tuesday that its new Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) platform is now active in the airspace of all of the nation’s air route traffic control centers (ARTCCs).
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
