How to Display AIS Targets?
- Henri
- octobre 17, 2025
Prerequisite: make sure your NMEA stream is properly configured and that you are receiving AIS sentences (they start with AIVDM).
Enable AIS target display
- Open the Settings panel (gear icon, top right).
- Choose AIS.
- Enable Show AIS targets.


Display settings
- Name & speed: show/hide target name and speed (global setting).
Tip: turn off near the coast when many targets are visible; turn on offshore when few targets are visible. - Remove lost targets after: time before a target disappears without a received sentence (e.g., 15 min). The target fades out: 100% visibility after a recent sentence down to 0% at the timeout.
- COG vector length: course-over-ground vector length, from 0 to 60 minutes.
- Show target track: global option to display tracks for selected targets or for all targets.
Tip: “selected” near the coast (many targets), “all” offshore (few targets). - Track length: Tip: short near the coast (busy areas), long offshore (few targets).

Proximity alarms
- CPA (Closest Point of Approach): minimum distance at closest approach.
- TCPA (Time to CPA): time remaining until CPA.
- Triggering: the alarm triggers when both conditions (CPA and TCPA) are met.
- CPA lines: option to show/hide CPA lines on the chart.


Hide Class B AIS targets
You can hide Class B AIS targets (small recreational boats) to show only Class A (cargo, ferries, etc.)—useful at crowded race starts.

Map interactions
- Icons: green by default. Chevron for Class B, triangle for Class A. Targets in alarm are red.
- Short tap/click on a target: select it and show its track, name (or MMSI if unknown), and average speed over 5 and 20 minutes.
- Long press: detailed panel with:
- MMSI and Name
- Navigation status: at anchor, restricted maneuverability, fishing, …
- Position: latitude & longitude
- SOG: instant speed over ground; averages over 5 and 20 minutes
- HDG: heading
- RNG/BRG: range and bearing
- CPA/TCPA
- Crossing: ahead of/behind the target (very useful underway)
- Position age
- Static info if available: callsign, type, length, beam, destination




AIS target list
Open the hamburger menu (☰ top left) and choose the AIS tab to display the target list.
For each AIS vessel, the following information is available:
- MMSI and vessel name
- Instant speed
- Speed over ground (5 min)
- Speed over ground (20 min)
- Heading (COG/HDG)
- Range to the vessel
- Bearing
- CPA – Closest Point of Approach
- TCPA – Time to Closest Point of Approach
- At the left of each row, a small color rectangle shows the target state: green if normal, red if an alarm is active.

Sort and filter the AIS target list
To quickly find a vessel, you can sort and filter the AIS target list.
- Sort by:
- MMSI
- Name
- CPA and TCPA
- Range
- Instant speed
- 5-min speed, 20-min speed (popular in racing to monitor competitors)
- Filter by:
- Name (e.g., type “CHA” to find “Cœur de Chauffe”, “Alyocha”, etc.)
- Class: type A (Class A) or B (Class B)
- Status: type “Alarme” or “Alarm” to show only targets with a collision alarm
- Click/Tap a vessel:
- the map recenters on the vessel and the target is automatically selected.

