How American Airlines Used AI to Clean up the Sky
Contrails, the white streaks left by planes in the sky, may look quaint, but a sinister secret lies within their wisps: they significantly impact the climate.
They form when aircraft fly through humid layers at high altitudes, causing ice crystals to develop around soot from engine exhaust.
Research from Imperial College London suggests that contrails may contribute more to global warming than jet fuel emissions, with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimating they account for about 35% of aviation's climate impact.
These artificial clouds trap heat in the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming. To mitigate their effects, a team consisting of Google Research, American Airlines, Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy and Eurocontrol are using AI to eliminate them altogether.
American Airlines pilots have successfully tested a system that decreased contrail formation by over 50%.
Adam Elman, Google's Director of Sustainability for EMEA, commented on this achievement, stating, “This is just one way AI is helping to create a more sustainable future for aviation.”
Developing an AI solution
The process began with a comprehensive analysis of satellite imagery, weather data, and flight path information. This data was crucial in understanding the conditions that lead to contrail formation.
Breakthrough Energy, with its dedicated Contrails Team, brought specialised expertise to address the issue of these man-made clouds.
Google Research then took the lead in developing a sophisticated algorithm capable of predicting areas where contrail formation was likely to occur.
This predictive model was subsequently integrated into existing aviation planning systems, allowing for real-time adjustments to flight paths.
The key innovation of this AI tool lies in its ability to optimise flight paths by suggesting minor altitude adjustments, often just a few thousand feet, to avoid contrail-prone areas.
This approach offers a practical solution that can be implemented without major disruptions to existing flight operations.
Marc Shapiro, Director of Breakthrough Energy Contrails, highlighted the significance of this development, stating, "Avoiding contrails might be one of the best ways to limit aviation's climate impact and now we have the first real-world demonstration that it's possible to do so." This statement underscores the potential of AI-driven solutions in addressing complex environmental challenges in the aviation industry.
This collaborative effort between innovative and ambitious organisations exemplifies the power of partnership in tackling complex challenges.
The joint work of American Airlines and Google has yielded valuable insights into addressing a significant environmental issue.
The project demonstrates the potential of AI-driven solutions in aviation sustainability. By leveraging Google's AI capabilities and American Airlines' operational expertise, the team was able to achieve a remarkable 54% reduction in contrail formation during test flights.
A future for flights
This success highlights the importance of cross-industry collaboration in developing practical solutions to climate change.
The study not only provided a proof of concept but also laid the groundwork for future advancements in contrail avoidance.
Ilona Sitova, Senior Aviation Sustainability Expert at Eurocontrol MUAC, told Google: “Contrail prevention is so important as it is one of the few tools that the aviation industry has to mitigate its impact on the climate in the short to medium term.”
MUAC can plan its capacity up to a year in advance, but contrail predictions are less accurate this far in advance.
Google’s AI-generated suggestions can provide contrail information to alter trajectories for individual aeroplanes in real-time.
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