Ship detection

Large area surveillance is very useful for ship detection. The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instrument onboard the RADARSAT satellites and ENVISAT is the main instrument in the detection of ships on the ocean. The ship targets can be detected both day and night. The detection capabilities of ship targets are influenced by the wind speed and wind direction compared to the track of the satellite. Small vessels down to 15-30m can be detected in the images, dependent on weather conditions. Satellite imagery of ships is normally acquired as part of routine surveillance activities of ship traffic, as part of coastal zone monitoring and in response to an emergency disaster.