Optimizing the design of electro-optical micro-satellite imagers for ship detection using a real-time simulator

For locating maritime vessels longer than 45 meters, such vessels are required to set up an Automatic Identification System (AIS) used by vessel traffic services (VTS). However, when a boat is shutting down its AIS, there are no means to detect it in open sea. In this paper, we use Electro-Optical (EO) imagers for non-cooperative vessel detection when the AIS is not operational. As compared to radar sensors, EO sensors have less complex system (lower cost and lower payload) and better computational processing load. EO sensors are mounted on LEO micro-satellites. We propose a simulator providing an estimate of sensor Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves in real-time and without computing the entire image received at the sensor. This simulator can help sensor manufacturers in optimizing the design of EO sensors.