Research Datasets/Maritime Sensors

Maritime Sensors Research Catalog

Overview

This page serves as a community-driven catalog of accessible maritime sensors. It highlights sources available to researchers, hobbyists, and OSINT analysts who want to monitor maritime activity — from AIS to satellite imagery and coastal cameras.

Research Question

What maritime sensors (AIS, coastal radar, ELINT, satellite imagery, webcams, etc.) are currently accessible for open or commercial use?’’’

Deliverable

A living catalog listing: Sensor names and types Basic specifications (if available) Access methods (free, paid, restricted) Data format notes (AIS, imagery, video feeds, RF collection)

Sensor Sources Catalog

AIS (Automatic Identification System)

MarineTraffic’’’ — Open AIS vessel tracking Spire Global’’’ — Space-based AIS and RF monitoring (commercial access). Hawkeye 360’’’ — Space-based RF detection, including AIS (commercial). SeaVision’’’ — Program for vessel classification and AIS correlation (military/civil collaborations).

Satellite Imagery

Planet Labs’’’ — High-frequency optical imagery (commercial; some government-access programs). Capella Space’’’ — Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging (paid service). Maxar Technologies’’’ — High-resolution earth observation imagery (paid/commercial).

Coastal Radar and Optical Sensors

Some U.S. and international ports run independent optical, LIDAR, and radar surveillance systems. Access depends heavily on jurisdiction and local regulations.

Public Webcams (Coastal & Maritime)

EarthCam’’’ — Global network of public webcams Surfline’’’ — Live surf conditions and beach cameras CamStreamer’’’ — Aggregated live cameras worldwide WorldCams Beaches’’’ — Global beach camera streams

Common maritime chokepoints with public camera coverage: Bosphorus Strait Strait of Gibraltar Singapore Strait

Other Useful Observations

Port Watch Communities’’’ — Social media groups posting photos and observations of port activity. Commercial AIS Trackers’’’ — Public-facing trackers like MarineTraffic are ideal for standard vessel movements, but limited for stealthy operations. Advanced Detection’’’ — Some programs (e.g., SeaVision) support ship-to-ship transfer monitoring and spoofing detection, combining multiple data sources.

Notes

Satellite-based systems like Planet and Spire provide imagery or RF data but typically require paid access. Public webcams and basic AIS trackers are freely available and useful for initial monitoring. Access to coastal radar data is typically restricted outside of local public safety contexts. Integration of multiple sources (AIS + satellite + webcams) improves reliability.

Useful Links

MarineTraffic Vessel Tracking Planet Labs Imagery Capella Space SAR Imagery Maxar Technologies EarthCam Webcams Surfline Cams CamStreamer Live Cams WorldCams Beach Cameras

Contribution

If you know of additional maritime sensors or open data sources: Please share: sensor name, basic specs, and link. Add whether access is free, restricted, or paid.