Advanced Vision-Based Navigation Technology

IALA’s World Wide Radio Navigation Plan states that “an ‘electronic pelorus’ ... would enhance the functionality of the traditional shipboard compass for taking bearings of fixed and floating objects, by capturing bearings that would then be automatically recorded for use within the electronic navigation system. An integrated electronic pelorus must be capable of visually sighting an object and transferring a line of position (LOP) to an electronic navigation system display, possibly by pulling a trigger or pressing a button.”

Submarines have always had the ability to obtain accurate bearing information of shore-based navigation aids through the periscope. UrsaNav’s True Bearing Transmitter (TBT), which creates an electronic pelorus when combined with existing pelorus hardware, provides surface ships with the same capability. Developed for rapid installation, the improved precision of the visual bearings provided by the TBT translates directly to improved fix accuracy.

UrsaNav’s TBT enhances waterway navigation by providing the charting system with extremely accurate bearings to shore-based navigation aids in real-time, eliminating errors caused by miss-read or off-center compass cards. By transmitting the bearing information in real-time to the charting system, the latency associated with voice communications over sound powered phones is also eliminated. The True Bearing Transmitter enhances vision based navigation technology as a portable kit that mounts on both the pelorus stand and on top of the compass repeater. When used with the standard telescopic alidade, it can provide the true bearing of an object on shore with an accuracy of ±0.1°.

TBT Delivers: ±0.1° accuracy; automatic time tagging of each bearing measurement; and easy assembly for quick installation.

TBT kit quickly mounts to the pelorus stand and repeater, converting the existing hardware into an electronic pelorus.	A hand switch, or pickle, also attaches to the lower assembly and is used by the operator to signal when the sighting device is aligned to the chosen aid to navigation. The TBT kit quickly integrates with the charting system, voyage data recorder or any other device that can receive a standard NMEA message.