CONSTANTA MARITIME UNIVERFSITY CONSTANTA.

* PRESENTER: ODADERIA FAVOUR.A.

ELECTRICAL NAVIGATION DEVICE PROJECT

TOPIC:

AUTOPILOT

AUTOPILOT DEFINITION

*Autopilot is a navigational device that automatically keeps ships or plane or spacecraft on steady course.

HOW AUTOPILOT WORK

An autopilot is maybe one of the most advanced and technically sophisticated instruments you can have in your boat. It does have all the intelligence needed to automatically steer your boat ones you have told it the direction to steer or where you want to go. Ones installed it’s quiet easy to use it but it can be good to understand how it’s functioning and why it behaves in the way it does if the situation becomes difficult. Knowing your equipment is important for safety at sea.

Modes of operation, an autopilot can work in one of several modes dependent on what you want to do with it. At start up it will always go in to manual or stand-by mode. The different modes are explained below:Auto Mode, the autopilot is activated and steers the boat to the reference course which is then shown on the display. The reference course will be the course the boat has when auto mode is selected. You can change this desired reference course by pressing the arrow buttons on AP47 and AP55 or by rotating the course knob on AP4 and AP9.

* Manual Mode, the autopilot is standby and the boat is under manual steering. The display shows the actual

heading course

GPS Mode. In this mode the autopilot gets steering information from a separate GPS unit. All Autopilots with GPS connected for navigation can follow a track to a distant bearing and can follow a route of multiple way points and automatically turn to a new reference course when switching to next way point. In the picture below, you can see how it looks on a GPS plotter.

Power Steering Mode. In this mode the boats helm system is controlled by the helmsman with buttons on theDisplay unit. Since the autopilot is in command of the helm system through its drive unit, this is a convenient wayto steer the boat and to get power steering. This can also be done by a remote device on a cable or a secondsteering station fixed mounted while away from the main steering wheel. Since the autopilot controls a powersteering system, options are available to use this to steer the vessel by hand while away from the main wheel. Thiscan be done by a hand-held device on a cable or a permanently mounted second steering station.

SAFETY AND EFFICIENCYThe Autopilot is designed to learn your vessel's steering characteristics, allowing for real-time, dynamic adjustments to make the ships steering more accurate and efficient. The continuous self-tuning adaptation is unique compared to all other autopilots in the industry.

BASIC OPERATION OF AUTOPILOT1. TO INITIALIZE THE AUTOPILOT\STANDBY MODE! Turn the master select switch tothe STANDBY position. The display willshow the vessel's current compassheading. If the heading displayed by theautopilot does not agree with thecompass, press the ADJUST key twiceto display the current heading offset, andthen use the up or down ARROW key toadjust the offset by the amount of theerror.

2. TO POWER STEER THE VESSEL\POWER STEER MODE! To turn the rudder to port and tostarboard, turn the master select switchto the POWER STEER position. Whileeither the red or green ARROW key ispressed, the display will show thevessel’s rudder angle and will show thevessel's current compass heading at allother times.

3. TO BEGIN AUTOPILOT CONTROLOF THE VESSEL:! To have the vessel continue on itspresent heading under autopilot control,turn the master select switch to thePILOT position.! To select either the 'FAST' (HighSpeed) mode or the 'Slow' (Low Speed)mode, press the ADJUST key oncefollowed by the up or down ARROW key.This will be done automatically if thespeed sensitive switching has beenturned on

4. TO CHANGE THE VESSEL'SCOURSE:! To obtain the desired course,leave the master select switch in thePILOT position. Estimate the number ofdegrees of course change required.! Until the display shows thedesired course, alter the course in onedegree steps by pressing and releasingeither the red or green ARROW key.

The autopilot is normally mounted in thevessel's wheelhouse. It can also bemounted in a more exposed location,such as the bridge of a vessel as you can see in the picture.

CONCLUSION

The autopilot helps and make navigation easy. Its also help in making navigation safe for seafarers.

Reference

www.autopilot.com

wiki.flightgear.org/Autopilot

www.raymarine.com

www.westmarine.com/marine-autopilots