The fact that any flight departs on time is a minor miracle, one that requires the precise synchronization of thousands of data points and an equally large workforce on the ground. Much of this the passenger never sees — especially the ground support crews and infrastructure that load catering and baggage, refuel planes, and assist in taxiing.

According to the founders of Los Angeles–based Moonware, this current status quo is begging for improvement.

Regarding ground operations, “everything is still really manual and really uncoordinated,” Moonware co-founder and CEO Javier Vidal said in a recent interview. “Everything still works with walkie talkies and papers. . . . At the end of the day, it’s all a last-minute scramble to find the right people and the right equipment to service the flights on time.”

Moonware’s solution is an AI-powered OS for ground ops it calls HALO, which algorithmically coordinates ground operations in real-time. The software considers variables like distance, departure and arrival times, and crew availability before automatically dispatching crew and equipment. The startup’s co-founders, Vidal and Saunon Malekshahi, say it will reduce delays, airfield congestion and plane turnaround time.The HALO software mines three main data streams: real-time flight information; crew schedules and task allocation; and ground positions and movement of the crew and the vehicles. This final data stream is proprietary to Moonware, and leverages work cell phones and low-cost GPS trackers to collate precise locations of all the “pieces” of the airfield workflow.

It’s a solution that Malekshahi likened to an AI-enabled “ground traffic control platform,” similar to how air traffic control (ATC) directs aircraft on the ground and in airspace today. Like ATC, the HALO software is airfield agnostic; in addition to commercial airlines, it can be used by cargo carriers, defense, and eventually even eVTOL operators.

Moonware’s solution has caught investor attention. The startup recently closed $2.5 million in pre-seed financing led by early-stage VC firm Third Prime, with participation from Zero Infinity Partners, The House Fund, Lorimer Ventures, Plug and Play, and several angel investors.