AIS spoofing and dark-target detection methodology

1. A system for determining a vessel's location in a target area, comprising:

a first image sensor on a first satellite;

a first radio receiver on the first satellite configured to determine location and orientation of the first satellite;

a second image sensor on a second satellite;

a second radio receiver on the second satellite configured to determine location and orientation of the second satellite; and

a processor in communication with the first image sensor and the second image sensor, the processor configured to:

output data indicating a target area to the first satellite and the second satellite;

receive a first image of the target area from the first image sensor,

determine first geolocation data for the first image using the first satellite's location and orientation when the first image is taken, the first satellite's location and orientation being determined by the first radio receiver;

receive a second image of the target area from the second image sensor;

determine second geolocation data for the second image using the second satellite's location and orientation when the second image is taken, the second satellite's location and orientation being determined by the second radio receiver, the first image and the second image being taken within a predetermined time frame;

perform image recognition to identify a vessel that appears in both the first image and the second image;

identify an overlapping area between the first image and the second image where the vessel appears;

determine the vessel's location based on the first geolocation data of the first image and the second geolocation data of the second image; and

output data representative of the vessel's determined location.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a plurality of images capturing the vessel over time, each image being associated with a timestamp, satellite location and orientation when the image is taken; and

determine the vessel's speed and bearing based on timestamps and geolocation data of the plurality of images.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first AIS receiver on the first satellite and a second AIS receiver on the second satellite, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine if at least one of the first AIS receiver and the second AIS receiver receives an AIS signal associated with the identified vessel;

determine a reported location as revealed by the AIS signal;

determine any discrepancy between the vessel's determined location and the reported location as revealed by the AIS signal; and

output the discrepancy.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first RF receiver on the first satellite and a second RF receiver on the second satellite.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine at least one of the vessel's location, speed and bearing based on signals received by the first RF receiver and the second RF receiver.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first satellite and the second satellite are small form factor satellites.

7. A method for determining a vessel's location in a target area, comprising:

outputting, by a processor, data indicating a target area to a first satellite and a second satellite;

determining, by a first radio receiver on the first satellite, location and orientation of the first satellite;

determining, by a second radio receiver on the second satellite, location and orientation of the second satellite;

receiving, by the processor, a first image of the target area from a first image sensor on the first satellite;

determining first geolocation data for the first image using the first satellite's location and orientation when the first image is taken, the first satellite's location and orientation being determined by the first radio receiver on the first satellite;

receiving a second image of the target area from a second image sensor on the second satellite,

determining second geolocation data for the second image using the second satellite's location and orientation when the second image is taken, the second satellite's location and orientation being determined by the second radio receiver on the second satellite, the first image and the second image being taken within a predetermined time frame;

performing, by the processor, image recognition to identify a vessel that appears in both the first image and the second image;

identifying, by the processor, an overlapping area between the first image and the second image where the vessel appears;

determining, by the processor, the vessel's location based on the first geolocation data of the first image and the second geolocation data of the second image; and

outputting, by the processor, data representative of the vessel's determined location.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a plurality of images capturing the vessel over time, each image being associated with a timestamp, satellite location and orientation when the image is taken; and

determining, by the processor, the vessel's speed and bearing based on timestamps and geolocation data of the plurality of images.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor, if at least one of a first AIS receiver on the first satellite and a second AIS receiver on the second satellite receives an AIS signal associated with the identified vessel;

determining, by the processor, a reported location as revealed by the AIS signal;

determining, by the processor, any discrepancy between the vessel's determined location and the reported location as revealed by the AIS signal; and

outputting, by the processor, the discrepancy.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor, at least one of the vessel's location, speed and bearing based on signals received by a first RF receiver on the first satellite and a second RF receiver on the second satellite.