Navtech Radar has announced a strategic alliance with Tocaro Blue to advance marine navigation and collision avoidance systems through the integration of high-precision radar technology and machine learning (ML).
This partnership combines Navtech’s W-band Tadar systems with Tocaro Blue’s ML-powered radar processing software to enhance sensor perception for maritime applications.
Traditional marine radar systems are typically effective at detecting threats at distances greater than 100m but often struggle with identifying smaller objects in close proximity, stated Navtech.
Navtech stated that its W-band radar technology is designed for short-range sensing, making it “relevant” for use on unmanned vessels.
The collaboration brings together Navtech’s advanced radar hardware, which boasts a range of 1,000m, centimeter-level resolution, and a beam width of 1.8 degrees, with Tocaro Blue’s ProteusCore software for object detection, classification, and tracking.
This integration is expected to provide perception engineers with a sensor capable of delivering near-field awareness in various weather conditions, enhanced by ML for automated output.
Furthermore, this partnership expects to respond to the increasing need for autonomous and semi-autonomous marine vessels, where reliable perception systems are considered crucial for safe operations.
The combined technologies from Navtech and Tocaro Blue are claimed to offer a “comprehensive” solution that supports advanced navigation in aspects such as coastal and port monitoring, autonomous workboats, commercial shipping, and critical maritime defense operations.
Tocaro Blue senior sales director Andrew Rains said: “Our collaboration with Navtech Radar creates an unrivaled solution for the maritime industry.
“By combining their exceptional sensing capabilities with our novel ML-based processing technology, we’re enabling vessels to comprehend their environment with remarkable clarity and track targets with high accuracy.”
Navtech claimed that its radar system delivers high-resolution returns, enabling mariners to have detailed environmental awareness unlike in traditional S- and X-band radar systems.
Tocaro Blue’s ProteusCore software is stated to be immediately compatible with Navtech’s radar systems, facilitating the integration of high-resolution data into existing perception systems or autonomy stacks.
Navtech Radar segment lead Sam Wood said: “The partnership enables the creation of a robust, all-weather maritime perception system that delivers unprecedented situational awareness, object detection, and classification performance – redefining capability standards in the maritime domain; A critical step in supporting the transition toward increased autonomy in the marine environment.”