Help center

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about our products and more

Functionality
SEA.AI will detect all objects on and above the surface of the water, including those that escape conventional systems such as Radar or AIS, no matter what the object is made of (e.g. wood, steel, plastic, organic matter…), day and night.

Yes, SEA.AI consists of thermal and color cameras and can therefore see during the night. Even in bad weather situations the thermal cameras will be able to perform much better than the human eye. Taking into account that a crew member is usually helming, navigating, or just busy with other things – SEA.AI will continue to keep an eye and act as the “barrel man” on top of the mast, giving the alarm when a potential hazard appears.

SEA.AI has an in-built IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) to know in which direction and with which acceleration the cameras and the boat are moving. As a second point of reference for image stabilization and movement compensation, SEA.AI uses AI-based horizon detection. Since SEA.AI is usually mounted at the highest point of the boat (i.e. the mast top), it can see over the wave crests and has proved to be a lot more reliable in comparison to what a crew member can see. To ensure its capacities, SEA.AI has been trained and tested by numerous sailing teams all over the planet and in the roughest conditions.
Using latest camera technology combined with artificial intelligence, SEA.AI detects and classifies objects, including those that escape conventional systems such as Radar or AIS: unsignalled craft, floating obstacles, buoys, inflatables, kayaks and persons over board.
Yes. SEA.AI systems have been designed to be installed at the highest point of the vessel to maximize their detection range. This characteristic can also be very useful during port manoeuvres to see above a jetty or pontoons, and thus anticipate any potential collision with other moving vessels. Moreover, the RGB low light and thermal cameras provide a clear view of what’s ahead, day and night.
SEA.AI seamlessly integrates cameras, including thermal cameras, with cutting-edge computer vision technology. The incorporation of machine vision in SEA.AI enables automatic floating object detection in the maritime environment, a valuable feature that enhances safety and situational awareness at sea.
 
This added AI proves invaluable, especially when you’re occupied with other tasks. Even during passive camera monitoring, SEA.AI stands out by issuing audible alarms when potential risks or hazards are detected, offering a crucial advantage in multitasking scenarios.
 
SEA.AI introduces AI-driven enhancements to thermal cameras, such as object detection or tracking, perimeter surveillance, and collision avoidance. This represents a transformative step forward in maritime technology.
In light rain, SEA.AI will be able to detect objects but its detection range will be reduced, and in very heavy rain, objects cannot or will not be detected anymore.
In the fog, a thermal camera can see 3x further than the human eye, keeping in mind that SEA.AI has the same physical limits as all optical sensors.
 
Being an optical system, SEA.AI´s performance thus degrades in fog and rain. SEA.AI and Radar are therefore complementary systems with different benefits and limitations.
Make sure you have downloaded the latest version of the “SEA.AI Navigation” App on your smartphone, tablet or MFD.
 
Connect to your boat or MFD WIFI network to access the SEA.AI System or start the SEA.AI Navigation App on your mobile device. The “Update available” popup will automatically appear on your screen if a new update is available. Click “Yes” to update the system to the latest software version.
 
Attention: The Update process can involve multiple system restarts – connection to the mobile device will be lost – Updating and restarting will take several minutes – do not shut off the system.

Video:

How to update your system from a PC

Video: 

How to update your system from iOS

SEA.AI systems can see up to the horizon, but the actual detection range is dependent on the mounting height, the size of the object above the water, the SEA.AI model and the environmental conditions.
SEA.AI systems are in example able to detect :
 
– Sailing Boat up to 7500 m with the Sentry, 2000 m with an Offshore/Competition 640, and 1000 m with an Offshore One.
 
– Man Over Board up to 700 m with the Sentry, 150 m with an Offshore/Competition 640, and 100 m with an Offshore One.

It depends on the product : on Sailing models, up to 6 users can connect simultaneously without speed loss, and 2 users on the Sentry.

Yes. SEA.AI systems have been designed to be installed at the highest point of the vessel to maximize their detection range. This characteristic can also be very useful during port manoeuvres to see above a jetty or pontoons, and thus anticipate any potential collision with other moving vessels. Moreover, the RGB low light and thermal cameras provide a clear view of what’s ahead, day and night.
No. The water surface generally acts as a mirror.
SEA.AI cameras and AI will detect any floating object on the water surface. Therefore, SEA.AI will not be able to detect immerged targets that do not reach the surface.
As any other targets on the surface, SEA.AI systems are capable of detecting marine mammals. But the function of their behaviors, it may sometimes be difficult to detect and identify them as they may appear only for very short periods of time.
For a target to be detected and identified, SEA.AI artificial intelligence needs redundancy over several seconds of detection.
Yes. Depending on the material and the surface of the object, its emissivity will vary. The AI analyses data from the thermal cameras and will therefore be able to detect an object even if it is at the same temperature as the surrounding water.
But as a reminder, the thermal precision of the cameras is up to 0,05° deg Celcius (0,1° Farhenheit).

Using latest camera technology in combination with artificial intelligence, SEA.AI detects and classifies objects to alert crews early and reliably about objects on the surface of the water, day and night.

A Convolutional Neural Networksis (CNN) a class of artificial neural network that performs segmentation, classification, and detection for a myriad of applications such as maritime safety. Computer vision analyzes images, and then creates numerical representations of what it ‘sees’ using a CNN.

AI, or artificial intelligence, refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, understanding natural language, perception and interaction with the environment.
As a subgroup of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning, computer vision trains convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to develop human vision capabilities for automated applications.

Thermal cameras, also known as infrared cameras, work by detecting and capturing the infrared radiation (heat) emitted by objects. Unlike visible light, which the human eye can perceive, infrared radiation is not visible to the naked eye. Thermal cameras use special sensors and optics to capture this infrared radiation and convert it into a visible image that represents the temperature differences across a scene.

Product

Competition Series: Vision unit: 750g  (Processing unit: 1,7 kg)

Offshore 320 & 640: Vision unit: 990g (Processing unit: 1,7 kg)

Offshore One 320 (All in one unit): 990g

SEA.AI Sentry (All in one unit): 4,8 kg

Competition Series :

  • Vision unit:  145 x 130 x 151 mm
  • Processing unit: 190 x 155 x 60mm

Offshore 320 & 640:

  • Vision unit: 190 x 172 x 133 mm
  • Processing unit: 190 x 155 x 60mm

Offshore One 320 (All in one unit): 190 x 172 x 133 mm

SEA.AI Sentry (All in one unit): 366 x 202 x 232 mm

Offshore One:   38 g/m + 96 g/m
Offshore 320 / 640:  36 g/m + 73 g/m
Competition:  31 g/m + 73 g/m

No, the SEA.AI systems do not need internet access to function.
But as we provide regular updates via the android or iOS app, the latest version of the SEA.AI application should be downloaded when internet connection is available.

Yes, the SEA.AI vision unit is waterproof (IP67) and has been tested in extreme conditions to ensure watertightness, temperature, shock, vibration, and salt water resistance. The lenses of the cameras carry a special coating for protection against the most extreme weather conditions and dirt.

Yes, all SEA.AI products can withstand at least forces of 10g. This is validated during durability tests with more than a 1 million cycles.

There is no user maintenance to be done unless your system endures long periods without rain. In that specific case, it might be necessary to clean lenses from time to time.

The SEA.AI System is compatible with the most common MFDs. Please get in touch with us to check compatibility.

All technical documentation is available in our External Library. Please follow the link below to access this customer dedicated FTP site.

Our Sharepoint link

Energy consumption breakdown for each of our models:

Competition 320/640*: Average 20W – Max 40W (Input 24V)
Offshore One*: Average 15W – Max 25W (Input 24V)
Offshore 320/640*: Average 30W – Max 50W (Input 24V)
Sentry*: Average 45W – Max 70W (Input 24V)

PU*: 24V = Average 10W – Max 25W

*Tested in a lab

Integration
SEA.AI systems need to see the horizon as a reference point, but the mounting depends on the model. The Offshore and Competition mounting bracket will enable it to be fixed on a horizontal or vertical surface. As a proper alignment is however crucial, an automated assistant ensures this step. The Sentry on the other hand has to be installed on a flat horizontal surface.

Yes. It needs to be integrated into the Boat LAN /WiFi for communication with the User Interface (PC, Laptop, Tablet or MFD) and to update the system with a smartphone via the app store (IOs or Android).

SEA.AI system installation has to be precise to ensure the correct operation of your system. It should be installed by a professional. To find your nearest installer, please visit our Dealer Locator web page.

Manual and Documentation

Please find our user guide and documentation in our sharepoint:

Still have questions ?

Can’t find the answer you’re looking for ? Please contact our team.