SMARTS Research Wins Best Paper Award at International Air Transportation Symposium

Lancaster University team recognized for groundbreaking work in dynamic airspace configuration

June 27, 2025 – A collaborative research team including Lancaster University has been awarded the Best Paper Award in the Air Traffic Flow Management and Optimization track at the prestigious First US-Europe Air Transportation Research and Development Symposium (ATRDS2025). ATRDS, formerly ATM seminar, is one of the most recognized air transportation conference that gathers academias and industries.

The award-winning paper, “A Robust Optimization Approach for Dynamic Airspace Configuration,” addresses one of the most pressing challenges in modern aviation: managing increasingly complex airspace as traffic grows and weather patterns become more unpredictable.

Innovative Solution for Real-World Challenges

The research team developed a novel framework that enables air traffic controllers to dynamically reconfigure airspace while maintaining robustness against demand uncertainty. The approach combines advanced optimization techniques with practical operational requirements.

Key innovations include:

• A robust optimization model that effectively minimizes excess traffic demands
• A graph-based algorithm optimized for tactical operations requiring real-time decision making
• Validation using real operational data from Madrid Area Control Centre (ACC)

Testing with Madrid ACC data demonstrated that even moderate conservatism in the approach leads to significant performance improvements in airspace management.

International Collaboration

The research represents a successful international collaboration between leading institutions:

• Luigi De Giovanni and Martina Galeazzo from Università di Padova
• Icíar García-Ovies Carro and Rebeca Llorente Martínez from CRIDA
• Guglielmo Lulli from Lancaster University

Supporting the Future of Aviation

This work is part of the SMARTS project, funded by the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking, the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The project benefits from ongoing collaboration with industry partners including NATS, ENAC (École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile), ENAIRE, and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

The recognition at ATRDS2025 highlights the potential of advanced optimization methods to enhance operational efficiency in air traffic management, contributing to safer and more efficient skies as the aviation industry continues to grow.