Key takeaways
- The FAA is deploying SMART, an $875 million AI platform to address an air traffic control shortage affecting the nation.
- SMART uses AI to analyze airline schedules, weather, airport capacity, and airspace conditions to predict traffic flows and prevent conflicts before they occur.
- The system will first roll out in the Washington D.C. area before expanding nationally as part of broader modernization efforts.
- The FAA is simultaneously pursuing hiring initiatives and system upgrades to tackle the multi-faceted air traffic control crisis.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been struggling with an air traffic control shortage that has become increasingly evident across the country. The underlying causes vary, ranging from staffing levels to outdated infrastructure, but the agency has signaled that addressing this crisis will require innovative technological solutions alongside traditional approaches like hiring and workforce development.
Introducing SMART
The FAA has announced a new system called SMART—Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories—an AI software program developed by Air Space Intelligence. The system carries a 12-year price tag of $875 million and is designed to help air traffic controllers manage their workflows more effectively and enable safer flight routing.
Cloud-Based Infrastructure
SMART is built as a cloud-based platform designed to enhance—not replace—the FAA’s existing air traffic management systems. This architecture allows the agency to layer AI capabilities onto current infrastructure, avoiding the massive expense and operational disruption of a complete system replacement.
The Air Space Intelligence Partnership
Air Space Intelligence, the vendor behind SMART, has designed the platform to integrate with FAA operations over the coming decade. The $875 million investment reflects the scale of what the agency believes is necessary to upgrade how controllers manage U.S. airspace.
How SMART Operates
The system functions by continuously analyzing multiple data sources in real time: airline schedules, weather patterns, airport capacity metrics, current airspace conditions, and operational constraints. From this comprehensive data stream, SMART uses artificial intelligence to predict how traffic will flow through the airspace and to identify potential conflicts—moments when two or more aircraft might come dangerously close to one another—before they occur in practice. The system operates on the principle that early detection of conflicts is preferable to in-the-moment crisis management.
Reducing Cognitive Load
By detecting these potential conflicts in advance, SMART gives controllers more time to adjust routes, modify spacing between aircraft, or implement other preventative measures. This automated early-warning capability should significantly reduce the mental workload on human controllers, many of whom currently operate with imperfect information and aging tools from earlier decades. Controllers would spend less time reacting to surprises and more time managing anticipated scenarios.
Phased Rollout Across the Nation
SMART will first deploy in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area as a pilot program. The FAA will evaluate performance in this initial zone before expanding the system to other regions. This phased approach allows the agency to gather real-world data and refine operations before nationwide scale.
Concurrent Hiring and Modernization Efforts
SMART represents one component of the FAA’s broader response to the staffing crisis. Earlier this year, the agency announced an ambitious hiring plan explicitly designed to resolve the longstanding shortage of air traffic controllers across the nation. The plan is intended to “erase” the shortage according to the agency. Parallel to these staffing initiatives, the FAA is pursuing a comprehensive modernization program targeting the country’s aging air traffic infrastructure, much of which operates on technology and systems deployed several decades ago. The agency recognizes that technology alone cannot solve the problem without adequate personnel to operate those systems.
A Multi-Front Strategy
The combination of new controller hiring, substantial software investment in SMART, and infrastructure modernization represents the FAA’s comprehensive effort to address the air traffic control crisis from multiple angles. No single solution—whether better technology, more staff, or upgraded systems—can solve the problem in isolation. The success of these parallel initiatives will determine whether the system can reliably handle future demand growth while maintaining the safety standards the flying public expects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SMART stand for?
SMART stands for Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories, a cloud-based AI platform developed by Air Space Intelligence that enhances the FAA's existing air traffic management systems.
How much will SMART cost and over what period?
SMART will cost the FAA $875 million over a 12-year period.
Where will SMART begin operations first?
SMART will first deploy in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area before expanding to other regions across the country.
