The evolution of Air Traffic Management (ATM) is about integrating and supplementing new tools into legacy systems, not replacing them.
Until now, Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) have safely managed the flow of aircraft using trusted systems like radar networks, voice communications, Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs), meteorological data, and surveillance tools. These legacy ATM systems have reliably supported traditional aviation but cannot scale or adapt quickly enough to handle the complexity and speed of change as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is introduced into the National Airspace System (NAS).
Emerging operations demand levels of situational awareness, data exchange, and automation that existing ATM systems cannot deliver alone. The Executive Order on Unleashing American Drone Dominance underscores this shift, calling for policies that integrate new entrants into the NAS while maintaining safety and efficiency.
The real challenge? Introducing new digital capabilities that enhance—not disrupt—the existing ATM ecosystem and the people at the center of it.
Integrating New Tools into Existing Infrastructure
Current ATM infrastructure is out of date, but replacing all ATM infrastructure isn’t realistic, both financially and operationally. The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) anticipates a projected cost of $31.5 billion and only $12.5 billion appropriated to date. New technologies must therefore coexist and integrate with legacy systems. SkyGrid is approaching this integration through:
- Interoperability by design: Ensuring compatibility with existing infrastructure while supporting the evolution of current systems and the introduction of new capabilities.
- Stakeholder collaboration: Working closely with organizations like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) in the U.S., and ecosystem partners, ANSPs, and civil aviation authorities globally to ensure systems complement, not replace, human controllers.
- Digital-first infrastructure: Leveraging cloud-native services, digital twins, and automation to accelerate deployment and reduce reliance on legacy hardware.
- Prototyping and testing: Collaboration with FAA test sites, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), industry partners, and stakeholders globally to validate concepts in real-world environments.
For both ANSPs using legacy systems and new tools, the goal remains the same: ensuring aircraft stay safely separated in the sky and maintaining smooth traffic flow. Current systems are part of a larger, smarter network, and using new tools allows for seamless integration of new technology to support AAM.
New technology is not meant to replace the work of air traffic controllers. To increase capacity, systems must be designed with humans in mind, featuring tools that are intuitive, user-friendly, and support real-time decision-making. These new tools will help ensure safety in the NAS, complement existing systems, and enable ongoing innovation in the aviation industry.
Leveraging New Services to Bridge the Systems
Air Traffic Control (ATC) capacity is constrained by human workload as controllers can only handle a limited number of aircraft at once. Introducing new types of operations without extra support would overburden the system. SkyGrid’s high-assurance data services and ATM automation platform complements the existing ATC system, boosts capacity through automation, and facilitates scalable traffic management for new entrants while keeping controllers actively involved.
Real-time data exchange and leveraging ground-based third-party services should sit at the center of modern ATM. SkyGrid’s services provide situational awareness, integrate various surveillance sources, and offer predictive conflict detection to keep operations safe and efficient. For example, our Ground-Based Traffic Surveillance service ensures more accurate tracking of aircraft in low-altitude airspace; our system considers emerging challenges, and we’re developing high-assurance services tailored for the low-altitude airspace where AAM will operate. Download our ANSP one-pager to learn more.
While the U.S. is prioritizing updating the ATC system and developing the airspace to safely scale AAM operations, we’re engaging globally with ANSPs, civil aviation authorities (CAAs), and standards development organizations (SDOs) to identify the urgent needs of airspace integration worldwide and explore how we can address those gaps.
Updated regulations and Automated Flight Rules (AFR) can help establish clear responsibilities for third-party services, improve coordination between traditional and automated systems, and create predictable procedures for uncrewed aircraft operations.
Why Modernization Can’t Wait
Modernizing the ANSP toolkit is no longer optional. Now is the time to ensure the USDOT and the FAA are focused on building out the advanced infrastructure needed to facilitate the expected increase in airspace users.
Recent incidents, like the communication outage at Newark Airport on April 28, highlights just how outdated parts of the ATM infrastructure have become. While quick fixes may patch immediate issues, they don’t address the underlying need for resilient, data-driven systems. may patch immediate issues, they don’t address the underlying need for resilient, data-driven systems.
The U.S. DOT’s ATC Modernization plan outlines a vision for upgrading critical systems, while the FAA’s proposed rule to integrate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) and UAS operations into the NAS seeks to remove regulatory barriers for emerging aircraft operations. Together, these efforts emphasize the urgency of developing systems that can support both traditional and next-generation aviation.
Without quick action, industry growth and innovation could be hindered. ATC modernization requires:
- Inclusive system architecture: Seamless integration of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) and Third-Party Service Provider (TSPs) frameworks.
- Stakeholder engagement and ecosystem collaboration: Engagements with Original Technology and System Manufacturers (OTSMs), ANSPs, TSPs, and operators to ensure interoperability, evolved standards, and coverage of all new entrants.
- Data-driven decision making: Leveraging advanced data analytics for an optimized, dynamic airspace and scalability of increasingly autonomous operations.
- Cybersecurity and resilience: End-to-end, standard-compliant cybersecurity frameworks consistent with critical infrastructure requirements.
- Equity of access and airspace fairness: Fair access by both legacy users and new entrants and enabling scalable access for AAM vehicles.
- Advanced infrastructure: Using new technologies to achieve improved Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) coverage and information sharing to improve the safety and efficiency of operations.
Modernization is about bridging the gap by making today’s systems smarter, more connected, and more capable while preparing for the aircraft and airspace of tomorrow. Legacy systems like radar and surveillance will remain foundational, but they must be paired with digital tools that expand capacity and adaptability. By blending proven infrastructure with next-gen capabilities, we can create an airspace that is safer, more efficient, and ready to meet the future demands of AAM.