thumb|A US Navy P-8 Poseidon on take offThe main components of maritime surveillance consist of sightings from ship captains and aircraft pilots. However, due to the radar horizon, surveillance aircraft are preferred as they can identify targets hundreds of miles further than vessels. An example of this today is the Coast Guard’s use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) to improve their capabilities while reducing the risk for service members. Currently, the Coast Guard has roughly 250 drone certified officers across the US. The main uses of UASs within maritime activities are search and rescue operations and responding to different environmental disasters. The Coast Guard’s use of unmanned drones specifically led them to creating an “Unmanned Systems Strategic Plan.” This plan would expand the use of current aerial surveillance systems to new challenges such as drug trafficking surveillance, migrant interdiction, and ice operations. With regards to environmental tasks, UASs will be expanded to address marine safety, fishing activity, and navigational uses. The Coast Guard outlines the future of aerial surveillance in maritime patrol as improving current UAS systems, integrating improved sensors and AI/ML, and creating more organized command and control plans/operations.
thumb|a us navy p-8 poseidon on take offthe main components of maritime surveillance consist of sightings from ship captains and aircraft pilots however due to the radar horizon surveillance aircraft are preferred as they can identify targets hundreds of miles further than vessels an example of this today is the coast guard’s use of unmanned aerial systems (uass) to improve their capabilities while reducing the risk for service members currently the coast guard has roughly 250 drone certified officers across the us the main uses of uass within maritime activities are search and rescue operations and responding to different environmental disasters the coast guard’s use of unmanned drones specifically led them to creating an “unmanned systems strategic plan” this plan would expand the use of current aerial surveillance systems to new challenges such as drug trafficking surveillance migrant interdiction and ice operations with regards to environmental tasks uass will be expanded to address marine safety fishing activity and navigational uses the coast guard outlines the future of aerial surveillance in maritime patrol as improving current uas systems integrating improved sensors and ai/ml and creating more organized command and control plans/operations