The Navy is developing an automated system intended to alert crews the moment someone falls overboard. The technology could close a dangerous shipboard safety gap, although moving it from a controlled engineering demonstration to operational warships will require more funding and testing.

The Man Overboard Detection System was developed by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division. The effort is led by Eric King, a former petty officer first class who said the threat of falling unnoticed into the water stayed in the back of his mind while serving.

“There’s nothing that will instantly detect if someone falls from the ship. I think the system closes that gap and provides peace of mind, and not just for the sailors, but for the fleet,” King told Task and Purpose.

A vessel carrying hundreds or thousands of people cannot realistically keep every section of railing under constant human observation. If nobody sees someone enter the water, precious time may pass before the crew even realizes an emergency has occurred.

Mario Vittone, a maritime safety expert and former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, said the difference between knowing the precise location of an incident and estimating when it happened can be staggering. Losing sight of the person can force a broader search or require assistance from the Coast Guard or another military helicopter.

“Knowing that they went in is number one,” Vittone told Military Times. “Exactly where they went in matters a great deal.”

Wind and currents can quickly carry a person away from the last known position, while waves and foam can make visual tracking difficult. Vittone said the real value of automated detection is its ability to overcome the human limits created by fatigue and available manpower.

The system uses thermal cameras and video analytics to identify possible overboard events before alerting the crew. Systems engineer David Dozal said it is engineered to detect thermal signatures and can perform as well as or better than a human observer during daylight, with a greater advantage at night or during poor visibility.

“A human lookout can easily miss an incident in the dark or due to distraction, whereas the man overboard camera system provides continuous monitoring,” Dozal told Military Times. Once an event is detected, the intended operational system would immediately notify the bridge.

Continuous monitoring alone does not solve the entire technical problem. Waves, birds, sea spray, floating debris and shifting light can enter a camera’s view, forcing software to distinguish an actual person from the noisy clutter surrounding a moving ship.

Vittone said successful systems will likely combine artificial intelligence with several forms of sensor information, including visual and thermal data and potentially Light Detection and Ranging imaging, known as LiDAR. The algorithms must recognize a person without repeatedly treating seabirds or trash as emergencies.

A 2024 review in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering examined 51 research papers concerning automated detection, search and tracking in maritime person overboard scenarios. It found that a person’s position and condition can significantly affect whether a detection system recognizes them.

False alarms remain a serious concern because repeated incorrect warnings could erode crew confidence. At the same time, a system that misses someone in darkness, rough water or poor visibility could create the appearance of protection without delivering dependable performance.

The Navy conducted its initial demonstration on Aug. 14 aboard the Self Defense Test Ship, the ex-Paul F. Foster. Engineers temporarily installed four thermal cameras inside two specially fabricated pedestals placed approximately 200 feet apart along the vessel’s starboard side.

Each pedestal carried two cameras, with one watching the water immediately beside the hull and another providing medium and longer range coverage. The overlapping fields of view were intended to reduce blind spots and help the software identify an object crossing the ship’s perimeter.

Engineers simulated an overboard emergency using OSCAR, a vinyl rescue dummy standing 6 feet tall and weighing 35 pounds. Mechatronics engineer Daniel Lopez and Dozal repeatedly dropped the dummy from the ship while other team members monitored footage inside the vessel.

The Navy called the demonstration successful because the cameras and software detected the simulated incidents. However, the test lacked the bridge alarm that would notify watchstanders, and the temporary equipment covered only part of the ship rather than the full perimeter needed for operational use.

Initial support came through the Naval Innovative Science and Engineering program, but that funding has ended. The team is seeking another source of money and wants to test the system aboard an operational guided missile destroyer in San Diego.

Such a test would require secured camera pedestals, safely routed cables and integration with systems used to notify the crew. Developers must also determine the cost of a complete installation, expected maintenance demands and performance under harsh maritime operating conditions.

Even an immediate automated alert would not guarantee a successful recovery. Sea conditions, water temperature, ship speed and available rescue assets would still influence the outcome, while the system must provide reliable location information when a person is temporarily hidden from view.

The demonstration showed that thermal cameras and software can detect a simulated person falling overboard under controlled conditions. Turning that proof of concept into a dependable fleet capability now depends on further funding, operational testing and a practical installation and maintenance plan.

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