At Skymantics, we believe that the next great leap in aviation won’t just be in how we fly, but in how we share the story of every flight. As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pivots toward an Info-Centric National Airspace System (NAS), the traditional silos of aviation data are being dismantled in favor of a unified, service-oriented architecture.
The Flight and Flow Object: A Single Version of the Truth
The current NAS environment often relies on fragmented data—disparate systems holding different “versions” of a flight’s trajectory or intent. Skymantics is working to change that through the Flight Object (FO).
As a trusted partner to the FAA, we are researching and prototyping the Flight Object to serve as a single, common reference for all flight-specific information. By leveraging modern microservices and DevOps CI/CD principles, we have successfully demonstrated how the FO can ingest, process, and manage complex data—even for new entrants like Upper Class E Traffic Management (ETM) and High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS). This creates a dynamic “digital twin” of a flight that supports Trajectory Based Operations (TBO) and ensures that every stakeholder is looking at the same map.
If the Flight Object is the story of a single aircraft, the Flow Object is the symphony of the entire airspace. In collaboration with the FAA’s Portfolio Management & Technology Development Office (ANG-C), Skymantics is pioneering the development of the Flow Object and the Flow Information Exchange Model (FLXM). Our work on the Flow Object Proof of Concept (POC 2.0) focuses on standardizing traffic flow data in cloud environments, enabling the NAS to move beyond rigid patterns toward a more fluid, data-driven management of airspace demand and capacity.
From concept to validation
Connecting these pieces is the Flight Information Management Concept (FIMC). Skymantics has been instrumental in developing this overarching framework to align with the FAA’s Automation Evolution Strategy (AES). Through FIMC, we provide the systems engineering necessary to determine how flight and flow information will integrate across different Operating Environments (OEs), ensuring legacy systems can bridge the gap to a service-based NAS.
The true strength of these data objects lies in their resilience, which we ensure by pairing our engineering work with high-fidelity validation. Building on our previous discussion of AI-driven innovation for the FAA, we utilize our DataGenesis platform to inject these Flight and Flow Object prototypes into massive, AI-generated synthetic test environments. This allows us to stress-test cloud architectures and simulate complex “what-if” scenarios—such as integrating diverse new entrants or managing system-wide off-nominal events—providing a safe, scalable “sandbox” where the future of the NAS is refined and perfected long before it hits live operations.
At Skymantics, we are proud to be the “Partners in Innovation” helping the FAA navigate this complex journey. As we continue to deploy these prototypes into the FAA Cloud Service (FCS) and RD-OE environments, we remain committed to a future where data is the wind beneath the wings of a safer, more resilient National Airspace System.
About Skymantics
Skymantics is an innovative professional and technical services firm delivering custom solutions to support customers’ needs while supporting interoperability and standards. The company incorporates emerging technologies and agile methodologies in a rapid-prototyping approach to support domains in aviation, geospatial intelligence, and data analytics.
The FAA’s modernization goals require partners who can deliver specialized innovation with speed and precision. Skymantics offers the agility of a small business combined with the deep technical expertise usually found only in large enterprises. We are ready to team with Industry Leaders to de-risk technical execution and deliver a safer, more efficient National Airspace System.
Contact us today to discuss teaming opportunities
Would you like to learn more?
Feel free to Contact Us, we’ll be happy to help!
