Robust layer-based boat detection and multi-target-tracking in maritime environments

In this paper we present a robust solution to detect and track small and distant boats from thermal images captured by a camera mounted on an autonomous platform (buoy or patrol vessel). It is characterized by a multiple-layer and multiple-algorithm architecture, which uses a combination of algorithms relying on complementary image cues to generate detections that are robust with respect to variations of boat appearance, image quality, and environmental conditions. The core component of the image exploitation is a detection layer which provides the results of several detection algorithms in a motion-stabilized scene coordinate frame aligned with the estimated horizon line. In the autonomous system, detections are used to trigger alarms and to facilitate multi-target tracking.