Artificial intelligence will not yet be piloting American planes, but it could decide when they take off or cross. The FAA is preparing for a radical overhaul of the country’s airspace management.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is developing a futuristic program called SMART (Strategic Management of Airspace Routing Trajectories), which could revolutionize air traffic management in the United States. While officially not intended to replace air traffic controllers, this AI system will be the first of its kind to anticipate congestion, adjust flight paths, and optimize traffic flows before takeoff. Behind this project are three major technology giants: Palantir Technologies, Thales, and Air Space Intelligence.
For years, the U.S. has been dealing with a chronic shortage of air traffic controllers, aging infrastructure, and a surge in air traffic. A fatal collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport exposed the weaknesses of a system previously considered one of the safest in the world.
The U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is leading a multi-billion-dollar technological modernization plan supported by the Trump administration and the NATCA air traffic controllers’ union. The FAA chief, Bryan Bedford, likens the American airspace to “perpetual Los Angeles traffic,” plagued with delays and cancellations every morning.
Facing concerns over the automation of the sky, involved companies reassure that SMART is not intended to separate or manage critical safety functions. The role of air traffic controllers would still remain to maintain physical safety distances between aircraft, manage emergencies, and make instant decisions that cannot be entirely delegated to a machine. The AI would intervene upstream in the strategic management of traffic flow.
SMART is based on a predictive system philosophy borrowed from financial or logistics predictive systems – to prevent rather than react. It aims to act hours or even weeks in advance compared to the current tactical approach to air traffic control.
The project involves an experimental “challenge” between selected companies by the FAA. Each now has labs located directly at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. The first phase, known as the “proof of concept,” is nearing completion. A full-scale demonstration could begin as early as September, with a validation phase expected in 2026. However, integration into the FAA’s outdated IT infrastructure and funding details remain unclear. Todd Donovan mentions that the project does not yet have an official budget allocation.
