An innovative Dominican artificial intelligence solution built exclusively for the global aviation sector has captured international acclaim, taking home the prestigious Most Disruptive Award at the 2026 Women in Tech LATAM Awards, held August 27 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
Developed by veteran Dominican air traffic controller Olga Isabel Pérez Encarnación in partnership with digital creative firm Nolim Studios, SARA — short for System for Aviation With Real-time AI — beat four other Latin American finalists to claim the top prize in its category. The award not only recognizes the project’s groundbreaking innovation but also qualifies it to represent the entire Latin American region at the 2026 Women in Tech Global Awards, scheduled to take place later this year in Paris, France.
Unlike generic AI tools, SARA is purpose-built as a smart assistant for aviation stakeholders. It delivers instant, verified access to critical aeronautical data, equipping air traffic controllers, pilots, flight dispatchers, and other industry professionals with actionable insights to streamline day-to-day decision-making. Developers highlight that the system prioritizes speed, reliability, and traceability for all information provided, while directly addressing a longstanding industry pain point: the heavy cognitive load that comes with sorting through and processing massive volumes of scattered aeronautical data.
Beyond its functional innovation, the tool carries meaningful cultural legacy: its name was chosen to honor Sara Castaños, the first woman to work as an air traffic controller in the Dominican Republic.
Currently, SARA is undergoing real-world testing and evaluation by aviation professionals and students across six countries. The project also forms the foundational research base for an international academic proposal exploring the responsible and effective integration of artificial intelligence into aviation operations. Following its recent award win, the development team is now refining a new production version of the tool, which is set to launch first in the Dominican Republic and the United States. Longer-term plans also include rolling out specialized AI training workshops for aviation workers, with a focus on building technical literacy, critical thinking, and responsible AI adoption across the industry.
This is not the first time SARA has earned global recognition. In 2025, the project won the first phase of the ENAIRE Open Innovation International Business Ideas Competition, hosted by Spain’s national air navigation authority, where it outperformed more than 70 competing submissions from across the world.
The Women in Tech LATAM Awards are a regional initiative of Women in Tech Global, an international non-profit founded by Ayumi Moore Aoki dedicated to advancing women’s and girls’ participation and leadership in technology and STEAM fields.
During her visit to Cartagena for the awards ceremony, Pérez Encarnación also led a community-focused educational outreach activity at local Cecilia Porras School, where she introduced students to hands-on aviation and technology learning materials. The donation included a prototype air traffic control board game, an educational coloring book explaining aerodrome movement zones and flight instruments, and a flight simulation joystick developed by Andrés Carpio Andújar, a finalist from the second edition of *Quiero Ser Piloto*. Attendees also got to experience robotics and virtual reality demonstrations and screenings of *Quiero Ser Piloto* episodes, and all materials were donated to the school to support ongoing STEM learning.
These outreach efforts align with Pérez Encarnación’s broader mission to expand accessible aviation education under the Master The Skies and *Quiero Ser Piloto* brands, which operate with support from Editora El Nuevo Diario and other local partners.
With more than 10 years of on-the-job experience as an air traffic controller at the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), Pérez Encarnación brings unique insider expertise to the project. She holds dual degrees in Air Traffic Control Technology from the Higher Academy of Aeronautical Sciences (ASCA) and Social Communication from Universidad O&M, and works as a journalist specializing in science, technology, innovation, and aviation, allowing her to connect industry expertise with public outreach.
She is also the creator and executive producer of *Quiero Ser Piloto*, a televised aviation competition that provides training opportunities and scholarships for young people pursuing aviation careers. The program, produced in partnership with Editora El Nuevo Diario and co-produced by Irving Novas, was named runner-up at the 2024 Air Traffic Management Awards, presented at Airspace World 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal.