Duffy Says ATC AI Tool Saving Time and Money

The FAA says its AI-powered assist for air traffic control is saving airlines time and money by suggesting alternative routing to avoid congestion. The Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) has affected 180 flights and saved them each an average of 10 minutes of flight time and 80 gallons of fuel. The system has been in use at D.C.-area airports as a trial for more than a month and is slated to be deployed nationwide. It uses AI to analyze traffic movement and potential congestion to advise controllers when a more efficient route might be available for an individual flight. “SMART will slash frustrating delays, reduce stress on air traffic controllers, and lower travel prices,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News.

Data supplied by Duffy cited the example of a flight from Reagan National to Orlando that was headed for a knot of congestion on its original route. The system spotted the issue and suggested a different route that knocked six minutes and 11 nautical miles from the flight. The system looks at 200 data streams to tweak routing and also checks real-time weather to find safe ways through storms.

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