Bluebird hits the skies: Cambridge engineers developing AI system for air traffic control

Cambridge engineers will build a Digital Twin of UK airspace and a related machine learning system that collaborates with humans as part of a business-led research project supporting the Government's UK Innovation Strategy. The Prosperity Partnership is one of eight being supported with an investment pot of almost £60 million by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council – part of UK Research and Innovation – businesses and universities. Professor Mark Girolami and Dr Adrian Weller are co-investigators of the collaborative research project titled Project Bluebird: An AI system for air traffic control. The vision is to deliver the world's first AI system to control airspace in live trials, working with air traffic controllers to help manage the complexities of their role. This system utilises digital twinning and machine learning technologies and includes tools and methods that promote safe and trustworthy use of AI.