Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has debuted satellite technology that can keep track of the dark fleet across the globe. Mitsubishi Heavy has developed a device that, like other Earth-observation equipment, takes images of terrestrial objects, but unlike other satellite technology, simultaneously processes that visual data using artificial intelligence. The satellite-mounted detector, called AIRIS – Artificial Intelligence Retraining In Space – consists of an Earth-observation camera and an AI-equipped data processor. When the camera scans the Earth’s surface, rather than automatically sending all that data back for processing, AIRIS deploys its AI to detect target objects — such as dark ships not using their AIS — and selects and transmits only data from the areas where those objects are located. AIRIS has been selected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for trials in space next year. As well as the dark fleet, its backers say it can help crack down on illegal fishing. “The deployment of AIRIS marks a significant advancement in maritime monitoring, enhancing the ability to track elusive vessels and mitigate illegal activities on the high seas,” Mitsubishi Heavy stated in a release. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsJapan