Smells like “team” spirit: human-machine collaboration in air traffic management

Report from the SESAR Innovation Days plenary panel

The next generation of air traffic management (ATM) will depend on seamless collaboration between humans and increasingly intelligent systems. As automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data-driven decision-making advance, the challenge is not just technological but human - how to design systems that complement, rather than replace, human expertise. This was the focus of a plenary panel at the SESAR Innovation Days (SIDs), held on 3 December 2025 in Slovenia, which explored how human-machine teaming can be operationalised in ATM, balancing trust, transparency, safety, and efficiency.

Moderated by Olivia Nunez, Head of Technology and Master Planning at SESAR JU, the panel featured Marc Baumgartner, IFATCA, Juan Besada, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Renée Pelchen Medwed, EASA, Peter Hendrickx, MUAC, EUROCONTROL, and Hugues van der Stichel, Airbus. Together, they offered perspectives from operations, human factors, engineering, and experimental testing.

Human-machine teaming is not new in aviation. Automation in the cockpit, for example, is already highly advanced, with complex tasks - such as auto-land - now reliably performed by automated systems. It is not surprising to learn that there is no "auto-land" equivalent in ground ATM, said JuanBesada, because ATM must continually integrate unpredictable, dynamic elements across the entire airspace - such as traffic complexity, weather, and human intent - which require real-time judgement and coordination that current automation cannot yet fully assume safely or reliably. He stressed that the evolution of automation in ATM will require systems that assume routine tasks while allowing human expertise to guide more complex decisions. But with this will come new challenges around trust, liability, and ensuring controllers remain ready to take back control when needed.

Building on this, Marc Baumgartner addressed the perception that controllers are reluctant to embrace automation. He explained that controllers support solutions that strengthen safety, but emphasised the need for systems that maintain situational awareness, preserve human control readiness, and clearly define shared responsibilities between human and machine.

Providing an operational perspective, Peter Hendrickx discussed MUAC's work with ARGOS - one of Europe's most advanced examples of automated ground control in low-density airspace. He outlined its demonstrated capabilities, the operational benefits it delivers, and the reasons why human oversight remains essential. He also highlighted the remaining steps needed for broader deployment, including the integration of more advanced resilience, monitoring, and validation frameworks.

In her intervention, Renée Pelchen Medwed turned to EASA's ongoing work on AI guidance, explaining the types of AI that future regulatory material will cover and the specific challenges posed by introducing machine learning and generative systems into safety-critical environments. She noted that while AI will increasingly support decision-making, transparency, traceability, and verifiable system behaviour remain non-negotiable elements for certification.

Drawing lessons from decades of cockpit automation, Hugues van der Stichel shared insights from a test-pilot perspective, noting how pilots have progressively learned to work with increasingly capable systems. He stressed that ATM can benefit from similar principles: clear roles, progressive uptake, thoughtful human-machine interface design, and training that ensures operators remain comfortable and confident in collaborating with automation.

SESAR is already exploring practical applications in approach, arrival, and surface operations - for example, pushback, taxiing, and departure sequencing - where automation could increase efficiency, reduce fuel use, and let controllers focus on the most important tasks. However, certain phases, such as final approach and landing, are likely to remain predominantly human-controlled due to their safety-critical and variable nature.

Looking further ahead, human-machine teaming forms a core element of the Digital European Sky, as outlined in the European ATM Master Plan. The plan includes an automation roadmap, defining levels of automation that can be progressively introduced between now and 2045, showing how digital technologies can safely expand the role of machines while preserving human oversight. The panel reflected on how SESAR research and innovation priorities are supporting this vision - ensuring that as automation increases, controllers remain trained, operationally ready, and confident in their collaboration with intelligent systems.

More about the SESAR Innovation Days 2025