The US Federal Aviation Administration has launched a pilot program for SMART, an AI-driven platform designed to manage airspace, routes, and trajectories. The system began operations on September 21, 2026, at three airports in the Washington, D.C. area: Reagan National, Dulles, and Baltimore-Washington International.
SMART functions as a decision-support tool that analyzes weather, flight schedules, and airport capacity to identify potential traffic conflicts days in advance. It does not replace human controllers or handle aircraft separation, but provides strategic recommendations to prevent cascading delays across the national airspace.
In June 2026, the FAA awarded a contract to Boston-based Air Space Intelligence to build and operate the platform. The agreement is valued at up to $875 million over a 12-year period and includes the development of a data infrastructure layer known as Flow Management Data and Services.
The agency plans to expand the system nationwide by 2028. The initiative has received support from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and United Airlines. Future implementation will involve scaling the technology from the initial three airports to hundreds of facilities across the United States.
