System Design Laboratory

For the safe operation of autonomous ships, a system that automatically detects the ship’s surroundings is required. AIS (Automatic Identification System), RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging), and LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) are typical equipment for detecting the ship’s surroundings. However, those sensors have limits. AIS cannot detect a ship without AIS equipment. RADAR has a slow update rate, and a blind zone is created depending on the installation location. LIDAR has a short detection range. Therefore, it is necessary to use a camera to supplement existing equipment.