THE ADVENT OF MARINE AI TECHNOLOGY

Fonathon Savill reports on the revolutionary impact artificial intelligence is about to have on all areas of life at sea

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Innovative technology has always created fresh new chapters in how we approach sailing. You only have to look back at the most advanced and sophisticated navigation systems of the mid-twentieth century, such as Decca and LORAN, to see how they are now nothing more than half-forgotten marine curiosities, trampled into extinction by GPS and the plethora of electronic navigational devices born in its digital wake. Now though, it’s time to prepare ourselves for what is likely to be the most fundamental technological change the marine environment has ever seen – the AI (artificial intelligence) transition – an advance that will touch and transform every aspect of life at sea, from naval operations and commercial shipping to yacht marina manoeuvres, autopilots and search and rescue.

NAVAL OPERATIONS

Those sailing the waters of the Solent over the last year or so may have been lucky enough to witness the Royal Navy testing out its new fleet of swift airborne autonomous drones designed to rescue crew who have fallen overboard. The new drones can quickly locate a casualty, drop a lifejacket down to them, then hover above to keep a steady mark of their location. The Senior Service has also been trialling new types of unmanned vessels along the south coast for potentially dangerous naval applications, such as mine hunting, where having a crewless vessel would always be preferable. The semiautonomous boats, known as MADFOX (MAritime Demonstrator For Operational eXperimentation) are controlled by navy personnel using laptops and joysticks as they sit comfortably on a nearby beach.

SEARCH AND RESCUE