FAA seeks to acquire a stake in air traffic management systems developer — AeroTime
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering acquiring a stake in Air Space Intelligence, which develops an artificial intelligence-supported air traffic management system. AeroTime reports, citing the agency’s internal documents.
According to Politico, the FAA has prepared preliminary investment terms and is negotiating a deal that would allow the government to buy the company’s shares at a fixed price. The preliminary offer expires at the end of 2026. It is unknown whether the parties have moved closer to a final agreement. The FAA did not provide Politico with a prompt comment, while Air Space Intelligence did not respond to the publication’s request.
A contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars
The Boston-based company received an FAA contract in June 2026 to develop two interconnected air traffic management systems worth up to $875.9 million. One of them, Flow Management Data and Services, is intended to help the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center balance flight demand with available capacity.
The other system is called Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories, or SMART. It is designed to detect congestion and prepare recommendations for changes before aircraft take off.
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Questions about SMART testing
The FAA began limited use of SMART in the Washington area on September 21, 2026. The US Department of Transportation stated that the system combines around 200 data streams, including information on weather, flight routes, traffic intensity, and the number of controllers. FAA employees review the system’s recommendations, while local air traffic control managers may accept or reject its scheduling proposals.
On October 9, a group of lawmakers led by Representative April McClain Delaney wrote to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. They called for suspending the use of SMART at Reagan, Dulles, and Baltimore/Washington airports. The lawmakers also asked about safety checks, the system’s operation in severe weather or equipment failures, and staff training.
They also requested data from the system’s initial 90-day evaluation and the criteria by which the FAA plans to decide on its nationwide deployment.
