A groundbreaking collaboration between Navtech Radar and machine learning specialists Tocaro Blue is set to significantly improve target identification in the maritime sector, a critical development for autonomous and semi-autonomous vessels.

Precision Near the Vessel

While conventional X and S-band radars excel at long-range detection, the new partnership focuses on a significant short-range blind spot. Navtech’s W-band radar is the hardware foundation, offering a 1,000m range with centimetre-level resolution—a feature vital for close-quarters maneuvering. This superior clarity at short distances allows for the detection of small objects that traditional navigation radars often miss.

Tocaro Blue steps in with its proprietary machine learning software, ProteusCore, which specializes in the detection, classification, and tracking of objects. By feeding the W-band's rich, high-resolution data into ProteusCore's powerful processing engine, the system moves beyond simple radar echoes to provide intelligent classification of targets.

All-Weather Awareness

The combined technology is clearly geared toward the next generation of robotic ships, but its benefits are already making waves in the leisure sector, where AI-enabled autopilot systems are becoming increasingly popular on yachts. This W-band sensor provides an essential layer of near field awareness during pilotage, ensuring that all targets are accurately classified, even in the most challenging weather conditions.

Sam Wood, Segment Lead from Navtech Radar, stated, “The opportunity to collaborate with Tocaro Blue is an exciting moment for the marine industry. The partnership enables the creation of a robust, all-weather maritime perception system that delivers unprecedented situational awareness, object detection, and classification performance - redefining capability standards in the maritime domain. This is a critical step in supporting the transition toward increased autonomy in the marine environment.”

The partnership, unveiled at the 2025 Autonomous Ship Expo in Amsterdam, signals a fundamental change in maritime perception systems, offering a robust, reliable solution for a future where semi-automation and AI-enabled systems lead the way.