Heathrow airport is reportedly trialling artificial intelligence to assist air traffic controllers.
The AI engine, dubbed ‘Amy’, is being used to improve safety and efficiency in managing high traffic volumes at Heathrow.
The airport currently handles an average of 90 flights an hour during the day – and nearly half a million flights annually.
According to a Euronews report, Amy combines radar and video data to track aircraft across the airfield by creating a holistic visualisation of aircraft positions and has been tested on more than 40,000 flights already.
The UK’s ATC provider NATS said the technology can help controllers monitor aircraft even when they are out of site using 4K cameras and radar.
Andy Taylor, a chief solutions officer at NATS, said: “It starts with a digital control tower. That is where we replace the out-of-the-window view from the traditional tower cabinets above us.
“That information, because it’s now digital rather than an analogue view, means that we can send that information through processing.
“And that processing… is done through our digital artificial intelligence engine, which is known as Amy.”
The system provides key details for each aircraft, such as flight number, aircraft type and whether it is inbound or outbound.
It can predict potential bottlenecks, suggest optimal flightpaths and streamline communication between controllers and pilots.
The AI engine helps controllers make quicker, more informed decisions by providing real-time data, Euronews reports.
By 2027, NATS hopes to have a fully operational “digital contingency tower”.
Airports in Singapore, New York, and Hong Kong are looking to implement similar digital solutions.
