Orca AI has launched a version of its maritime AI platform built around a 360-degree field of view, giving vessels continuous visual coverage on all sides.
The London-based company says the system is designed to strengthen collision avoidance and lay the groundwork for autonomous navigation by eliminating blind spots around the ship.
The 360° field of view configuration uses three SeaPod look-out units fitted with high-sensitivity RGB and thermal cameras.
The system is designed to detect overtaking vessels and small craft, including potential piracy threats, and to address visibility limitations caused by on-board structures such as cranes or wind rotor sails.
Industry demand for full-surround awareness has increased over the past year, particularly in congested shipping lanes and areas where radar systems may struggle to track small or fast-moving objects.
Extending situational awareness to a 360° field of view enables bridge crews to monitor all sectors of a vessel’s surroundings. On vessel types such as heavy-lift carriers, where structural design can restrict sight lines, continuous coverage may help reduce blind spots.
The system also relates to navigational rules such as Rule 13 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), which governs overtaking situations that typically develop outside a ship’s forward-facing view. Persistent monitoring can support earlier assessment and decision-making on the bridge.
Orca AI said the technology has already been delivered to multiple customers and accumulated operational sea-time.
“A full 360° FOV represents a meaningful step forward in providing unmatched situational awareness for vessels operating in increasingly complex navigation environments,” said Dor Raviv, CTO and Co-founder of Orca AI. “It is also a foundational requirement for enabling safe autonomous operations, with Orca AI building the practical foundations of autonomy. A 360° FOV is a critical part of this effort, which will expand beyond 360-degree computer vision and AI-based situational awareness to include machine-learning capabilities for predictive insights and voyage optimization.”
Founded in 2018 and headquartered in London, Orca AI develops AI-driven navigation systems. Its technology was used in a 2022 autonomous voyage conducted in partnership with The Nippon Foundation’s Designing the Future of Full Autonomous Ships (DFFAS) initiative. The company says its platform is installed on more than 1,000 vessels worldwide.
