It’s no secret that today’s Marine autopilot technology is an invaluable resource for pleasure craft and boaters. Autopilot systems allow a boat to stay on course in light to moderate sea conditions. This feature increases the predictability of the vessel’s heading while reducing operator fatigue, a major causal factor in incidents at sea. Like autonomous systems, autopilots are tireless and have unlimited attention spans on scheduled tasks. on the water. Both systems also allow a human operator to maintain control of a ship and a mission and resume operations at any time. However, what is not always understood are the differences between the autonomous maritime technology available commercially today and the best autopilot systems for ships available.
Read on to learn more about the distinguishing features of autonomous maritime systems and the types of missions that can use this type of new technology.
Avoid collisions in the water
The obstacle detection, collision avoidance and allision feature now offered with the best autonomous marine systems available is perhaps the most valuable advantage over an autopilot. These mission rescue and rescue capabilities are not available with autopilot systems and can use a combination of computer / camera images, GPS, radar, and AIS vessel traffic data to identify objects on the route of a self-contained vessel, then navigate safely around the boat autopilot. before continuing. the pre-planned path again, without human intervention. This can be especially useful for boaters who navigate during periods of low light or poor visibility.
Another point to consider is that the universal use of autopilot for boats has become a factor in ship collisions and groundings. Such incidents are often the result of a boater falling asleep by a system that controls his boat, but cannot detect or follow traffic or obstacles.
Adjust the behavior of the boat between waypoints in all sea conditions
When put into “ seaworthy mode, ” autonomous vessels automatically adjust their movements and speeds between waypoints based on the mission and environmental conditions that exceed the pitch, roll and bow thresholds of the aircraft. ship. When there is a crew on board, an autonomous boat autopilot will slow down and slow down the turns to maximize human comfort and safety. In unmanned operations, a remote operator can program an autonomous boat to perform more precise, faster and more aggressive maneuvers that increase productivity. An autonomous system also intelligently increases speeds in wide and open areas and automatically reduces them in areas with speed restrictions.
Integration with embedded systems
Today’s autopilot system have moved from basic heading finding systems to adaptive computer systems that can reduce fuel consumption and increase trip efficiency. Most systems are integrated with the compass, GPS and the boat’s instrumentation system to provide smooth steering control. In some cases, they learn the characteristics of a boat to improve performance over time. Autonomous systems do this as well, but can also integrate with AIS data, radar and cameras onboard a ship, giving operators on and off the ship real-time situational awareness. Autonomous systems can connect to on-board payloads (such as fire monitors, boom arms, ROV launch stations or cranes), allowing the operator to control the vessel’s equipment from n anywhere on or off the ship. Finally, autonomous maritime technology can be integrated with ship maintenance systems that allow ships to operate at the highest level of productivity.
Human control of vessels
An autonomous vessel can be operated with or without a crew on board, unlike an autopilot which requires a human operator to be at the controls Marine Autopilot system. Autonomous control allows an offshore operator to determine the vessel’s course and speed, perform a mission and monitor operations remotely through software that interfaces with sensors and camera feeders in real time. Unmanned operations are especially valuable when crews are faced with boring, dirty or dangerous jobs – factors that contribute to increased operational risk. Use scenarios for unmanned or limited crew configurations include spill response at sea, fire suppression, patrols, hydrographic surveys, government or military applications, dredging, aquaculture , etc.
Which one is right for your business?
The invention of the autopilot system has provided undeniable value to boaters and pleasure craft for nearly a century. Autopilot is far from obsolete technology, but it will likely continue to serve people on the water for years to come. However, business operators should be aware that more advanced technologies are now available in the market and offer additional benefits. These include:
Obstacle detection and collision avoidance capabilities,
The ability to maintain course and speed during long missions and / or in difficult conditions. Automatically adjust vessel behavior between waypoints to meet the needs of a crew or mission.
Integration with on-board systems,
The ability to remove people from the vessel and monitor operations remotely with real-time situational awareness. Sea Machines Robotics, an industry leader in the development of autonomous control and advanced marine perception technologies, launched its SM300 autonomous remote control and control system in 2018. Sea Machines is already in use aboard work boats and of ships around the world. world. has demonstrated that the SM300 increases the performance, productivity and safety of commercial maritime operations. Contact us to learn more about Sea Machines or how systems can modernize your work on the water.
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