Nautical Systems

Image: Enno Kapitza for DLR

The R&D activities of the department Nautical Systems are focused on contributions to support a safe and secure transport on the seven seas as well as on inland waterways.

According to this our scientists, engineers and technicians research in 3 working groups on new methods and technologies to increase the accuracy and integrity of data provided by maritime sensors and services. On one hand this comprises all navigation relevant data describing the own-movement of a vessel as well on the other hand the maritime situational awareness.

Our central aims within these areas are as follows:

• Provision of reliable Positions-, Navigations- und Time (PNT) information as essential prerequisite for assistance systems to support highly automated vessels at sea and inland-waterways 
• Development and demonstration of reliable decision support systems using multi-sensor based cooperative traffic situation assessment in complex multi-vessel situations
• Demonstration of the usability of the maritime positioning system R-Mode as a backup system for reliable position and time data generation for maritime users in case of temporary failure of maritime PNT standard sensors like GNSS.

For this we collaborate with partners at national and international level. Within the scope of standardization, we are working as an associate member at IALA and bring in our knowledge into different working groups of IALA committees.

Approaches to the Port of Rostock – a test area in the vicinity of the Research Port of Rostock

The Baltic Sea and the region around Rostock Port are playing an important role concerning our activities to validate systems and technologies under real environmental conditions. For this we are part of the initiative around the Research Port Rostock and operate together with international partners the first worldwide R-Mode testbed within the Baltic Sea. Within the scope of measurement campaigns, we either use our own small research vessel AURORA or collaborate with our partners BSH, Scandlines and Baltic Taucher GmBH. 

At DLR branch Neustrelitz the department is strongly involved within the Research Cluster Maritime Safety and Security.

 

Maritime Services Group The research activities of the team “Maritime Services” are focused on the development and trial of radio navigation-based services with the aim that a resilient provision of position, navigation, and time data (PNT) can be ensured onboard. In this regard, maritime services are satellite- and ground-based GNSS augmentation services, alternative radio navigation systems and monitoring services for the provision of PNT-relevant safety information. Read more

Multi Sensor Systems Group Research and development activities of the Multi Sensor Systems group focus on methods which enable resilient provision of Position, Navigation and Time (PNT) information onboard a vessel. Here the navigation information includes the velocity (speed over ground / through water, course over ground) as well as three-dimensional vessel attitude (roll, pitch, heading). The developments are based on the Maritime PNT System concept. Here an onboard data processing unit (PNT Unit), which uses multi-sensor fusion techniques, will be responsible for the onboard PNT provision within a future Integrated Navigation System (INS). Read more

Traffic Systems Group The research activities of the team “Traffic Systems” are focused on the development of technologies for reliable traffic situation assessment using nautical sensors and systems. The main goal of the research activities of the team is the provision of methods and algorithms for an unambiguous description of the traffic situation using cooperative traffic assessment. Read more

Current Projects

Internal

• EMS 3 – Maritime Communication and Navigation 
• I4Port – Intelligent Port
• Navigation4.0

External (Third Party funded)

• AutonomSOW2 - Development of an information platform to increase the efficiency of transport operations on the Spree-Oder waterway
• DigitalSOW - Reliable communication and navigation for the construction of a digital test field on the Spree-Oder waterway
• MAREMIS - Maritime traffic modelling and optimization for reducing maritime traffic emission based on big spatial-temporal data
• IW-Net - Innovation-driven Collaborative European Inland Waterways Transport Network
• R-Mode Baltic 1 & 2
• SCIPPPER - Lock assistance system based on PPP and VDES for inland navigation

Finished Projects

Internal

• A++Set: Automated Aids for Safe and efficient vessel traffic processes
• DepNav: Dependable Navigation
• EMS-MVS: Real-time services for maritime safety and security - Maritime traffic guidance and safety
• EMS 2: Real-time services for maritime safety and security 2
• GalileoADAP: Galileo Advanced Applications
• GalileoNav: Galileo - Use, application and verification
• MVT: Maritime Traffic Engineering
• NAVSIM: GNSS SW Simulation Tool

External (Third Party funded) 

• AutonomSOW1: Development of a concept for the establishment of a digital test field for inland navigation for automated and autonomous operation on the Spree-Oder-Waterway - SOW
• ALEGRO: Establishment of a local maritime complementary system to support high-precision Galileo applications and services in the research port of Rostock
• ASMS: Advanced Sailing Management System
• EMPONA: Implementation of EGNOS in the maritime domain as effective augmentation system for positioning in inland and pilot navigation
• IntelliMar:  Intelligent assistance and analysis systems for the early detection and management of hazardous maritime situations
• LAESSI: Guidance and assistance systems to increase the safety of navigation on inland waterways
• MAGS: Maritime Adaptive GNSS Safety Concept 
• MTCAS: Maritime Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System
• PiLoNav: Precise and integer Localisation and Navigation in Rail and Inlandwater Traffic
• PRIS: Prediction of Ionospheric Scintillations
• RCAS: Rail Collision Avoidance System
• SaMariS: Satellite-based Maritime Safety and Security
• StRout - Strategic route planning as a challenge for ferries crossing fairways
• TAT: New technological approaches for automated terminals in combined transport

Thoralf Noack German Aerospace Center Institute of Communications and Navigation, Nautical Systems Tel.: +49 3981 480-136 Fax: +49 3981 480-123