VTS-Oriented Route Deviation Monitoring for Autonomous Surface Vehicles Using Waypoint-Tracking Telemetry and Navigation Alerts

Abstract

Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) are increasingly deployed for hydrographic survey, coastal observation, and unmanned maritime monitoring. Although autonomous waypoint navigation enables an ASV to execute predefined missions, shore-side operators still require a supervision mechanism that can interpret navigation telemetry, identify route deviation tendencies, and provide timely operational alerts. This paper proposes a VTS-oriented route deviation monitoring framework for ASVs using waypoint-tracking telemetry and navigation alert classification. The proposed framework utilizes mission waypoints, actual GPS position, heading, speed, mission status, and communication streams to evaluate whether the vessel remains consistent with its planned navigation task. Instead of focusing on onboard control performance, the framework transforms waypoint error, heading deviation, and telemetry status into operator-oriented alert levels, namely normal, caution, warning, and danger. The framework is developed using datasets and system components from a catamaran-type ASV testbed supported by autonomous waypoint navigation, web-based telemetry transmission, and onboard logging infrastructure. The available navigation dataset consists of ten simulation trials and ten real-world trials, with baseline results showing a mean waypoint error of 0.49 m and mean heading error of 4.21° in simulation, and a mean waypoint error of 1.15 m and mean heading error of 10.8° under real-world operation. The monitoring infrastructure further supports real-time supervision through web-based telemetry and low-latency data transmission, with previous testing reporting a GPS positional error of 3.66 m, data fetch time of 199 ms, and data transmission time of 165 ms. In addition, mission logging data demonstrated a 618.0 s operational record with 100.0% file completeness and 99.81% multi-sensor continuity. These results indicate that the developed ASV testbed provides sufficient telemetry readiness for route deviation monitoring and shore-side navigation alert generation. Unlike previous studies that focus on waypoint control, communication performance, or onboard collision avoidance, this study positions route deviation monitoring as a VTS-relevant safety supervision layer for small and medium ASVs operating in restricted and coastal waters.