The original content is available on ENAC’s official website. Author: Theodora Nikolitsopoulou, SESAR project manager for ENAC (Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile)
Air Traffic Control Digital Assistant is one of the three solutions that the JARVIS project is developing. It assists air traffic controllers in different operations: integration of new entrants, growing interconnections, optimized environmentally friendly decisions, and overall efficiency of air transport. In addition, AI-based data-driven algorithms support operators in different roles and phases of the flight reducing workload for busytasks.
From March 3rd to 7th, ENAC and Airbus Defence and Space conducted the first validation session of the Air Traffic Controllers’ Digital Assistant (ATC-DA) for Conflict Resolution: researching if AI can effectively support ATCOs, and how it can be fine-tuned.
Simulation Environment
The experiment took place in a dedicated test room at ENAC, using the GENETICS Airbus Defence and Space platform. The setup included:
- DALIA radar interface for visualization and clearances
- TESLA Tactical Controller Tool (TCT) for conflict detection and resolution, developed by Airbus DS
Methodology
In the first session, each of the eight participating ATCO held a valid en-route radar license with over 10 years of experience and the pilot and adjacent sector coordination were automated.
During the 3 days of experimentation, participants performed traffic separation under different scenarios:
- Baseline Scenario: Using only the TCT for conflict detection
- Solution A: TCT + AI-powered resolution advisory, trained on real ATCO decision-making behavior
- Solution B: TCT + resolution advisory based on expert judgment
A second session is scheduled for late March with three additional ATCOs.
A huge thank you to our participants—no Digital Assistant can be designed without their invaluable expertise!
Stay tuned for the outcomes!