FAA begins rollout of new AI air traffic controller system in DC

Published September 21, 2026 10:46am ET | Updated September 21, 2026 12:48pm ET



The Federal Aviation Administration will begin rolling out its new artificial intelligence tool to help air traffic controllers monitor the skies, starting the program in the Washington area as soon as Monday.

The FAA’s new Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories program uses AI to cross-analyze factors such as airplane travel, airport capacity, and local weather, with the ultimate goal of helping human air traffic controllers in their jobs. The new AI tool is part of a broader air traffic control system upgrade called the Flow Management Data and Services.

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