Marine Radar & Multifunction Displays: Optimized Integration and Navigation Safety

Marine radar is the most advanced instrument used to navigate safely in the world of vessels. In recent years, more and more people have invested in marine adventures, increasing the demand for advanced marine radar technology.

According to the latest Expert Market Research report, the global marine radar market value in 2023 was approximately $1.44 billion. By 2032, this market will reach $2.45 billion in revenue. The compound annual growth rate on this growth trajectory from 2024 to 2032 will be 6.0%.

Let’s delve into marine radars’ integrations with boat systems and understand how the most important collision avoidance system works.

Navigating with Precision: Importance of Marine Radar

Marine radars are electronic detection devices that use X-band or S-band frequencies with a sweeping antenna. They send narrow rays of microwaves across the surface around the vessel to the distant horizon. When the radar captures the reflection back from the objects, it detects their shapes through the microwave reflection they generate. This way, the radar gathers a snapshot of the vessel’s surroundings.

Radars are an important part of any marine system. Whether we’re talking about a leisure boat or a military vessel, the radar is a core part of the onboard systems. The marine radar covers everything from detecting the distance to shore to detecting other ships or obstacles.

The radar’s role on a vessel is not only an informative one but also an essential component in ensuring safe sailing. However, no matter how well a radar is designed and how good its detection is, it can’t do much if it’s not paired with a high-level application.

Exploring Multifunctionality in Marine Radar Apps

The Multifunction Display (MFD) is the main interface that sailors use to communicate with all the systems on the vessel. The marine radar application is integrated into the MFDs, presenting, and interpreting the raw data the radar provides. Whether it’s about checking engine oil temperature or out-of-fuel alarms, the MFD is a system that displays all the information about the vessel.

Together with our partners in the marine industry, our team from AROBS Engineering developed multiple types of MFD applications. One of them is the radar app, which integrates with various systems on the boat. The radar app provides chart plotters with route navigation by providing course correction information based on the detected objects. Another system is collision avoidance alarms, where the radar app provides alarms compliant with the Mini-Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (MARPA) standard.

Our developed apps also support dual-range radars that help sailors track distant targets while maintaining awareness of nearby obstacles. This feature optimizes navigation safety in complex environments.

User-Friendly Interface for Multifunctionality

In the digital age, a product’s value is no longer based on its complex functionality. The user experience and the working speed of the applications are significant. The app’s variation in functionality is only helpful if the user can navigate it properly.

Besides our entire focus on maximizing the functionality of the radar, our team also concentrates on providing the best user experience.

Our expertise in software optimization improves the smoothness of the user interface and the application response time. In addition, we use our expertise in data and image processing to enable high-definition imaging of the surroundings for radar apps.

Users can receive detailed radar imagery that accurately illustrates nearby vessels, obstacles, and landmarks, even in severe weather conditions or low-light situations.

Our applications feature intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for easy operation and quick access to essential radar controls. Touchscreen capabilities, customizable presets, and intuitive menus modernize the radar operation, ensuring a perfect user experience even for novice sailors.

Software quality in marine radar app

Software products must be appropriately designed to be extensible, reliable, and functional.

Our team dedicates efforts to designing and crafting the features using C++ alongside the QT framework, tailored specifically for the MFDs operating on the Android platform.

We precisely engineer each aspect of the user interface, employing QML to ensure seamless navigation and user-friendly interactions. This approach allows us to deliver a sophisticated yet intuitive experience for users, improving their ability to use the MFDs effectively while on the water. Combining our extensive expertise in manual and automated testing processes, we deliver a secure application that is both reliable and effective.

Embedded software has made marine radars perform better, increasing their capabilities and success in industry. Maritime safety and efficiency are growing with the development of wave detection processes, radar technology, and the adaptability of X-Band and S-Band radars.

Join Us in Making Waves in the Marine Radar Technology

With more than 15 years of expertise in developing embedded systems for a wide range of marine electronics, our team from AROBS Engineering has created long-lasting partnerships with key players in the maritime industry.

Our commitment to performance, quality, and safety ensures we meet industry standards.

Let’s set sail for maritime engineering innovation together! Contact us today.