AIS on SAR planes, plus a chip
C.A.P. Major Tim Strickland wrote in: “In my free time, I'm doing an experiment to track Civil Air Patrol Search & Rescue aircraft using the AIS SAR Aircraft Position Report (AIS Message 9) in maritime environments. There's interest in other SAR air assets doing the same, and curiosity on whether vessels can (they should) see these aircraft when they're transmitting. Have you seen much regarding the use of AIS Message 9? I've gotten one aviation AIS transponder company to loan a unit to test/demonstrate this and perhaps pursue migration to AIS Message 25 (BFT). I'm looking for a low-cost receive, display & chart (with land, not just marine maps).” I know nothing about this SAR Aircraft message, but am hoping someone can educate us in the comments section (or you can email Tim directly).
Meanwhile, if you’re thinking about building AIS transponders, CML Microcircuits wants you to check out their dedicated CMX processors. Their site is mostly above my head, but I think it’s another sign that AIS may get smaller and less expensive at a rapid rate. By the way, PMY has started to post my columns again, including my March one on Class B.
PS 3/13 Good question from Tim Flanagan, now at Navagear.com, who’s writing an article on the potential value of “Synthetic AIS”: “Is anybody broadcasting aids-to-navigation, hazards-to-navigation, or vessel-in-distress info from equipment NOT installed upon the affected vessel or object? By the way, have you encountered any nomenclature to describe this, besides Synthetic AIS and Virtual AIS?”
Share
We see SAR aircraft equipped with AIS in Scandinavia quite frequently, and our Yacht-AIS displays them on the screen. AFAIK, the CoastGuard of the UK has equipped there aircraft too. Seeing there AIS messages is not only usefull for vessels at sea, but also for SAR mission control as this shows both sea and air units on the same screen.