Using AI to help reduce the climate impact of airlines

Google and American Airlines have initiated a pilot project utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) models to reduce pollution caused by the airline industry. The focus is on minimizing the formation of contrails in the sky by identifying areas that pilots should avoid.

Contrails are the white lines observed in the sky as planes pass by. However, these artificial clouds, formed due to water vapor condensing into droplets or ice crystals in contact with cold air, have a detrimental impact on the planet. Contrails absorb and capture a portion of the Earth’s sunlight, contributing to global warming. Airlines often overlook this ‘non-CO2′ pollution when calculating their flights’ climate footprint.

Nevertheless, contrails can be avoided as they only form in specific airspace zones. Google and American Airlines have collaborated on a program utilizing AI models to develop contrail forecast maps. These maps enable pilots to select routes that do not produce contrails.

To create this technology, Google partnered with American Airlines and Breakthrough Energy—a sustainable energy innovation investment fund founded by Bill Gates. The collaboration involved combining satellite images, weather data, and flight path data to generate forecast maps. Pilots were then able to choose routes that avoided contrail formation based on these maps.

Google explains in a blog post that American Airlines pilots conducted seventy test flights over a period of six months, using Google’s AI-based predictions and Breakthrough Energy’s open-source contrail models to avoid altitudes likely to create contrails. Following the test flights, satellite imagery was analyzed and revealed a 54% reduction in contrail formation.

It was observed that avoiding contrails resulted in a 2% increase in fuel consumption. However, Google asserts that “a small percentage of flights need to be adjusted to avoid the majority of contrail warming.” Consequently, the overall fuel impact on an airline’s flights could be as low as 0.3%, according to the company.

The collaboration between Google and American Airlines aims to significantly reduce contrail formation and the subsequent contribution to global warming. By utilizing AI models and forecasting maps, pilots can choose routes that minimize the creation of contrails, representing a significant step towards a more sustainable airline industry.