AIS: The Most Comprehensive Video on Maritime Tracking Technology!

If you ever wondered how ships are tracked then this is the video for you. The technology for broadcasting is not nearly as interesting as the technology for receiving the signal which includes 100s of satellites covering the globe.

In this video we go into everything about how it works, how the data is sent and received and how all that information gets to your computer in apps like Marine Traffic.

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[dougmarder]

As a member of the original US Coast Guard's Nationwide AIS (NAIS) design team, I heartily endorse this video. There are a few AIS capabilities you left out or mentioned peripherally, like enhanced capabilities for DSC, and as a few other commenters have mentioned, airborne AIS, but this was extraordinarily thorough. One aspect unique to the USA is the history of resistance to and slow adoption of AIS by our maritime community. There are too many historical and cultural reasons for this to go into here. Fortunately, continually falling prices, increased features, and improved integration with other shipboard systems has dramatically lowered the bar. One point I would add about vessels turning off their AIS is that Coast Guards and militaries monitoring and patrolling their coastal waters and inland waterways around the world get very excited when radar, sonar, and video do not match-up with AIS data. The "Common Operating Picture" (COP) systems flag these targets and they become immediate high priority targets of interest. This was one of the major selling points for the US government (and others) post 9/11. From the civilian side, one of the major remaining problems with AIS is getting a MMSI (Maritime Mobile Services Identities, a unique vessel identifier) and having it programmed into your vessel's AIS devices. Purchasing a used vessel with AIS installed requires transfer of the MMSI or reprogramming of the ship's devices with a new registered MMSI which also creates a lot of headaches. Transferring ownership of homes, cars, and even websites is usually much easier.

[philiptorrens]

I'm an instructor/examiner for the Restricted Operator's Certificate (Maritime) - the permit you need to operate a marine VHF in Canada. This is an excellent introduction to how AIS works - I'll be referring my students who want to take a deeper dive into AIS to this video. Thanks!

[SteveDavis-jx]

Yo Sysman, Thanks so much for this video. This is the finest explanation of the complete AIS system I have ever seen. I'm a retired I.T. guy with 52 years of experience and I gleaned a massive amount of knowledge from your video. Keep up the hard work as I'm sure there are thousand of geek subscribers that loved digesting all this minutia.

[helibob]

10, 15 years ago I worked as a helicopter pilot on board a private yacht. We were upgrading to a new helicopter, and I got this brilliant idea to eqip it with AIS. It would only identify 20 targets at time, and one day flying down the coast of Spain it picked up a vessel off the coast of Algeria, over 180 miles away.

[onecreative]

Great video! You've stirred up some fond memories. I like you, served in the military. I had the honor of serving in the Coast Guard for ten years, the Air Force for eleven years, and the Space Force for one year before retiring. As I was watching your video I was reminded of the many operations I was involved with over the years in which I was intimately familiar with what you discussed. So, great job in putting the video and information together into an easy-to-understand package for the novice. Bravo! Keep up the excellent work.

[edwinjames]

I ordered a leather chair from India last year. I was able to track the container ship all the way to Norfolk, Virginia. Thank you for giving such a great explanation as to how that was possible. Some students at the local high school here in northernmost Maine got to follow the ship also. Great job.

[brunoterlingen]

"Simple" and to the point, very well done Sir.

[robertlevine]

The best explanation of AIS I've read or watched. This should be a mandatory watch for ship officers.

[dcallan]

Fantastic video 2x👍
I love to use Marine Traffic to look up the ships sailing past my home. I used to see ships sail past and wonder what they where, when they came from and are going etc. Now its easy I can just look them up and also get photos of the boats just to make sure I have the right vessel.

[RJDA.Dakota]

Awesome video that explains a lot. Everyone should see this. Thanks for sharing this important information. To me, you have a great, very important channel.

[salassian]

Nice job, E-Sysman. Very interesting and thorough explanation of AIS.

[williamstreet]

AIS technology is becoming more accessible to smaller vessels. I sailed on 2 sailboats under 50 feet last year. Both of them had class B AIS transponders. It allowed us to see the location, speed and direction of nearby vessels along with information about boat size, and even type of cargo. This significantly helped watches at night or during fog and rain.

[allan]

Wonderful video of information available to the maritime industry, thank you for your insight into these amazing systems and safety measures, so many different levels to think about before handing down a verdict, as usual I will just keep watching your videos for my info, All the best, Al

[ArtVanAuggie]

Excellent presentation. Very interesting and informative.

[waylonk]

Thanks for making such a comprehensive video on AIS and related systems. I had no idea there was so much infrastructure devoted to the position reporting of ships!

[ShakesSphere]

Yes, I shipped a pkg from the states to a buyer in Australia, and bam..that was en route when the xmas tsunami hit Thailand...the pkg didn't arrive. After several phone calls, found out it shipped out of San Diego, more insistent phone calls, found out the particular ship, and that it was caught up, and docked in Singapore for repairs!! The pkg finally arrived, albeit 2 months later!! Australian buyer was insisting it would eventually turn up, and it did, whew, irreplaceable item. Anyway, I never knew ANY of what you've just taught me!! It's wonderful to have so much better an understanding of ship tracking, for far more serious issues than just a pkg! Thank you again, GREAT VIDEO ❤

[seanneal]

You are a remarkable genius. Everything is so well done and presented.

[lovelightcontinuum]

Being more familiar with avaiation AIS this really put the whole picture together into one frame for me. It fit the whole EPERB device element in for me, without actually mentioning it. Smashingly Good Video!

[infopubs]

Nicely done video. I'm saving this to send to friends and family who want to know how AIS works.

[panoshountis]

Thank you so much for this video. A system's man indeed.