A feasibility of CubeSat Automatic Identification System on the fishing application in Taiwan

Abstract

The Automatic identification system (AIS) has been widely used for international merchant vessels since 2001. Taiwanese fishing boats completely equipped with AIS have become prominent; hence, vessels and shore stations can provide the dynamic and static data, which is provided using the AIS. Because of the AIS radio transmission power capability (2-5 W), the line-of-sight distance of the AIS is generally 20-30 nautical miles. In radio, blind coverage areas can hinder the cognition of navigators. This occurrence is crucial for navigation safety. To improve the current situation, a feasibility study was conducted to collect the AIS data of the ship, which are near AIS lighthouses and shore stations. First, AIS dynamic and static data were integrated with a Marine Geographic Information System (MGIS) through a land network from the surveyed ships. Second, for the optimal AIS land stations site selection, the Fuzzy Spatial Decision Support System (Fuzzy SDSS) has been used by MGIS-spatial modules. Third, all simulation and spatial analyses were completed using the MGIS/SDSS for the comparison of fishing boat operation safety Guard Rings. After completing the aforementioned three steps, regardless of the location, the AIS radio blind coverage area persisted. Moreover, the Taiwan authority surveillance area was not completely covered. Therefore, the AIS CubeSat is one of the solutions for AIS radio blind coverage areas by Taiwan surveillance authority, which monitors the far ocean fishing boats during fishery operation. On the basis of the information on navigation safety and the collected ＂Big Data,＂ this study provides the optimal solution for AIS CubeSat for determining the AIS radio blind coverage sea areas of Taiwan and for the operation safety of far ocean fishery boats.