FAA Launches New AI Air Traffic Control Tool
By General Aviation News
The FAA has introduced a new platform called Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) that uses AI to synthesize 200 data streams, including weather and traffic flow, to improve airspace visualization and congestion management.
The Federal Aviation Administration has launched a new air traffic management platform called Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART), unveiled by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
SMART centralizes 200 data streams — including weather patterns, flight paths, traffic flow, and controller staffing metrics — into a single platform. Its AI-supported engine then synthesizes the data to provide a comprehensive visualization of where planes are going, how much traffic the system can handle, and where congestion or weather could cause challenges.
Instead of waiting for congestion to build, SMART uses the data to help the FAA anticipate demand, weather, and airspace constraints and plan hours, days, and even weeks ahead. The FAA began using SMART in a limited mode on September 21, 2026, in the airspace around Washington, D.C., and plans to gradually expand it to other parts of the country.
For business aviation, smarter national airspace management promises more predictable traffic flow planning and fewer ground delays for operators flying into and out of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.