Automatic Identification System
Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a way for a ship to send data by radio to tell other ships its position. AIS was made to avoid ships colliding and make it safer to travel by sea. AIS sends messages every few seconds, and these are received other boats and by stations on land and on some satellites. A ship knows its position by using Global Positioning System (GPS). Since 2004, all ships above 300 tons and all passenger ships have to use AIS.[1] It is now also used by many yachts and other leisure boats.
A ship can see where other ships are (this is the English Channel)
A person on land can tell ships where to go
References
- ↑ Regulations for carriage of AIS
Automatic Identification System Media
An AIS-equipped system on board a ship presents the bearing and distance of nearby vessels in a radar-like display format.
A graphical display of AIS data on board a ship.
NASA video demonstrating the advantages of the Norwegian AIS satellite program, illustrated by the AIS transceiver on board the International Space Station.
A vessel's text-only AIS display, listing nearby vessels' range, bearings, and names
System overview from US Coast Guard
AIS message GMSK modulation signal example
Archived 2020-05-28 at the Wayback Machine from International Maritime Organization
