Automatic Identification System (AIS) enables ships and coastal stations to precisely locate and identify each other. Using VHF radio and GPS technology, an AIS transceiver autonomously determines and shares its position, speed, and course with nearby vessels. This data is received by other AIS-equipped vessels and coast stations, creating a real-time graphical traffic display. AIS can be linked to chart plotters or PC charting software, mimicking radar-like vessel position displays. AIS complements or enhances radar, offering similar coverage and improved signal propagation around obstacles, like bends and islands, compared to radar systems.
What is AIS?
