AIS Targets on Navionics

By far the biggest news this month, is that the hugely popular Navionics Boating App now supports live AIS data over Wi-Fi. This means, that any of Digital Yacht’s wireless AIS units will now provide live AIS data for the app to overlay on the Navionics charts.  For boat owners that already have an AIS receiver or transponder that does not have its own Wi-Fi (regardless of brand or model), you can also overlay your AIS data on the app, by simply adding one of Digital Yacht’s wireless NMEA servers.

Ever since we launched our iAIS product, the world’s first wireless AIS, the most asked question we get is; “Will I be able to get AIS data on my Navionics App?”. For years, we have been saying “No, I am afraid you will need a different app”, but now the answer is a big resounding “YES”.

With so many boats now fitted with AIS and the Navionics App being the most popular marine navigation app in the world, this new feature will have a major impact on how people sail, providing this safety critical AIS data direct to your smart phone or tablet.

This new AIS feature, along with a number of other important enhancements to the app, was launched just last week and is available for both Apple iOS devices and Android devices. Existing users of the Navionics Boating App will get the update automatically.

How to get AIS targets on the Navionics app?

All our NMEA to WiFi server or AIS receiver or transponder with WiFi are fully compatible with the Navionics app. Once you’ve updated your Navionics app, you need to connect your tablet to the WiFi of one of our products. Open the Navionics app and the connexion with our product will be automatic.

Then, you need to turn on AIS targets in the Charts Option menu Navionics as shown below.

If yYou do not have an AIS receiver/transponder, then here is the equipment you will need:

• iAIS – AIS receiver with built-in WiFi
• Nomad – AIS Transponder easy to install with built-in WiFi
• AIT3000 – The most complete AIS transponder with NMEA interface, VHF antenna zero loss splitter and built-in WiFi

If you already have an AIS receiver/transponder but without WiFi, then you will need one of these devices:

• If your AIS Class B receiver/transponder has a NMEA0183 interface, then you will need the Smart WLN10
• If your AIS Class B receiver/transponder has a NMEA2000 interface then you will need the NavLink2
• If you have a Class A AIS Transponder, then you will need the PilotLink.

For more information on this exciting new feature, please click here for the Navionics press release.

Live test at sea

We’ve tested this new functionality at sea and you can see how simple it is to overlay AIS targets on Navionics with this video: