Automatic navigation course control method for ships

摘要

The method involves determining direction of the course (S) overground from the actual ship position, as well as from the heading. A position receiver (10) continuously, or at regular time intervals, determines the actual position of the ship as well as the heading. A connection device (12) is used to send the position data to a memory and processing device in the autopilot (14) for storage and processing. A sideways drift of the ship from its original course over ground (S) is determined and this is used with the memory and processor units to determine a new heading angle for the ship (20), with respect to the original course (S). The autopilot automatically sets the new course.