Watch · Summit Post
Show Caption Flying through the Washington DC area could soon look a little different behind the scenes. The Federal Aviation Administration is testing a new artificial intelligence system at three airports in the region: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport. The system, called SMART (Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectorie), is designed to help air traffic managers keep track of what is happening across the region's busy airspace.
But what exactly does the new system do, and what could it mean for people flying through the region? Here's what to know. What is SMART and how will it work?
SMART pulls together information from hundreds of sources, including weather, flight schedules, airport capacity, flight paths and controller staffing. The system can then identify potential problems and suggest ways to adjust flights before congestion turns into delays. So why is the DC area getting the first test?
The region has three major airports operating in relatively close proximity, creating a complicated airspace system. DCA is also heavily restricted, with limits on the number of flights that can operate there. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the technology could help officials better match available airport and airspace capacity with demand.
SMART isn't intended to replace air traffic controllers. Instead, it provides recommendations that human controllers and traffic managers can consider when making decisions. The FAA plans to use the DC-area testing to evaluate the system before potentially expanding it to other parts of the country as part of a broader effort to modernize the nation's air traffic control system.
Facebook Twitter Email
Source: USA Today
