FORMATION OF THE SHIP'S OBSERVATION ACCURACY FIELD USING MULTIPLE LANDMARKS
https://doi.org/10.33815/2313-4763.2025.1.30.069-079
Abstract
Abstract. This paper highlights the fact that the presence of navigational obstacles, such as shoals, significantly increases the risk of maritime accidents when vessels operate in confined or restricted waters. Such obstacles create unpredictable conditions where the margin for navigational error is minimal. Errors in navigational measurements, as well as inaccuracies in ship maneuvering, contribute to heightened risks of grounding, collision, and close-quarter situations. In areas with high traffic density, the danger is further amplified, increasing the likelihood of navigational conflicts and incidents.
A particularly critical factor affecting navigational safety, especially in zones with unreliable reception of satellite navigation signals, is the accuracy of determining a vessel’s position using traditional navigation landmarks. In such cases, reliance on visual or radar-based observation becomes essential. Therefore, it is important to assess how accurately the position of a ship can be determined when using multiple fixed landmarks.
To develop an observation accuracy field for a vessel, based on several landmarks, a scalar accuracy measure is applied to each point within the coastal navigation area. The most appropriate measure for this purpose is the dispersion of the modulus of the vector error. This measure provides a quantitative indicator of how precisely the vessel’s location can be determined based on the geometry and accuracy of the observations.
An analytical expression for the accuracy index is presented for cases involving distance and bearing measurements to each landmark, assuming normally distributed errors along position lines. To visualize the field of observation accuracy across a navigational area, a computer simulation model was created.
The scalar accuracy index was calculated for scenarios involving two, three, and four landmarks. The index value influences the degree of shading applied to each grid section in the accuracy field, darker shading corresponds to higher accuracy indices. The resulting accuracy field can be digitized and displayed on an electronic chart, offering mariners a visual representation of positional confidence throughout the area.
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