The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday, 21 September 2026, officially launched a new SMART AI system for managing airspace. The project began with a limited deployment in the Washington area.
The Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) system was developed by Boston-based Air Space Intelligence under a 12-year, $875 million contract. It analyzes airline schedules, weather, airport capacity and other factors to predict conflicts and optimize flows in advance.
In the first phase, SMART covers three major airports in the capital region: Ronald Reagan Washington National, Dulles International and Baltimore/Washington International. Full-scale nationwide deployment is planned gradually.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford emphasized that the technology will not replace controllers but will only help them make more precise decisions. According to them, this will reduce delays and the burden on staff.
The contract also includes the creation of a baseline Flow Management Data and Services system, which will become the "backbone" of the new air traffic management. Air Space Intelligence already uses similar AI solutions with air carriers, serving more than 40% of US traffic.
The initiative is part of a broader program to modernize US air traffic control infrastructure. Regulators and airlines expect a noticeable reduction in delays as early as next summer.
Critics note that one technology will not solve all the problems of an outdated system. Can SMART live up to expectations in the world's busiest airspace?
For now, the FAA is watching the first results in the Washington region before expanding its use to 29 million square miles of national airspace.
