Google Leads AI-Powered Trial to Reduce Aviation Emissions

Google is teaming up with UK government and industry partners to launch Operation Blue Skies, a trial that uses artificial intelligence forecasts to route aircraft around contrails-forming areas in North Atlantic airspace.

The programme aims to reduce the climate impact of aviation by avoiding warming contrails, which account for about one third of the sector's total greenhouse gas emissions. Google UK is developing AI models to forecast contrail formation and will apply machine learning and satellite imaging to track the effect.

Operation Blue Skies will run within Shanwick airspace, where around 10,000 flights pass through each year. The trial will involve two operational periods, each lasting four months, and will see a small proportion of flights given slight route deviations to avoid contrails-sensitive areas.

The programme is co-funded by industry partners and the Department for Transport, with Google UK contributing £1.4 million in kind through AI research expertise, engineering time, and high-performance computing infrastructure. Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge will evaluate the outcomes and provide independent verification of the climate impact.