| Title |
Adaptive Lighting Operation Strategy for UAV-Based Night Maritime Search under Sea Fog |
| Authors |
Hyeran Kang ; An-Seop Choi |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5207/JIEIE.2026.40.5.313 |
| Keywords |
Adaptive lighting; IAMSAR; Low-visibility environment; Maritime search and rescue; UAV |
| Abstract |
In this study, an adaptive lighting operation strategy for UAV-based nighttime maritime search and rescue under sea fog conditions was proposed based on the operational stages of the IAMSAR framework. The proposed strategy consists of environmental condition assessment, search, identification, and rescue support stages. Visible (VIS) and 850 nm near-infrared (NIR) lighting are selectively employed according to the operational stage and environmental conditions. The lighting beam angle is determined considering the camera field of view, target distance, and required illumination area, while the luminous flux or radiant output is estimated considering atmospheric attenuation. An operational example for a person-overboard search under nighttime sea fog conditions was presented to demonstrate the estimation of lighting parameters at each stage. The proposed strategy provides a basis for the design and operation of adaptive UAV lighting systems for nighttime maritime search and rescue. |