xShipX Lab – Smart Pilot Plug Project

Practical pilotage technology, tested in real operating conditions.

The Smart Pilot Plug Project is an xShipX Lab development focused on improving pilotage situational awareness when standard ship data, bridge GNSS reception, or pilot plug information is incomplete, delayed, unavailable, or affected by interference.

The project combines independent GNSS positioning, outside antenna placement, remote GPS streaming, AIS/NMEA data handling, ROT and heading sensor experiments, and a compact onboard status display into one portable pilot-focused system.

The goal is not to replace certified navigation equipment. The goal is to create a practical backup and awareness tool that helps verify movement, position, speed, course, heading behavior, and data reliability during real operating conditions.

The system is being developed step by step through field testing, hardware trials, software improvements, and practical lessons learned from real use.

Main focus areas

• Independent GNSS positioning
• Outside antenna placement
• Remote GPS streaming
• Pilot plug and AIS/NMEA data handling
• ROT and heading sensor experiments
• Local onboard system display
• GNSS spoofing, jamming, and position-jump warning logic
• Future RTK reference station experiments

Project approach

Each stage of the project is documented around four simple questions:

What was tested?
What failed?
What worked?
What changed after real use?

The Smart Pilot Plug Project is shared as a practical technical log, not as a finished certified product.

Future posts will document the main parts of the system, including independent GNSS, outside antenna placement, remote GPS mode, router-based deck link, onboard display, and future spoofing/jump warning logic.