Smart shipping is accelerating the widespread adoption of ship robotics. In operational scenarios such as autonomous cruising of unmanned boats, search and rescue operations for maritime emergencies, and control of port waters, airborne vision systems are subject to dual, stringent requirements: on the one hand, the onboard hardware must exhibit exceptional environmental adaptability;It delivers stable long-distance imaging under conditions such as salt spray, dense fog, low light, and hull movement. On the other hand, it relies on a complementary control board to achieve precise pan-tilt and reliable data transmission. Currently available single-camera modules generally suffer from poor compatibility, loss of settings upon power failure, and distorted imaging in harsh marine environments. Meanwhile, standalone control boards often fail to meet the dynamic tracking requirements of long-zoom lenses. Leveraging its expertise in maritime surveillance hardware development, Kemorei has integrated the KC9231M starlight all-in-one camera module with the CM102 circular encoder control board to create a complete, modular visual solution. This dual-hardware system features deep integration and adaptive compatibility with all types of marine robotic platforms, forming a fully closed-loop system—from image acquisition and pan-tilt control to data transmission and platform integration—thus specifically addressing industry pain points such as blurry imaging, delayed control response, and cumbersome maintenance associated with unmanned offshore inspection equipment. Kemorei provides an integrated, highly durable visual sensing hardware solution tailored for unmanned marine systems.

I. The KC9231M starlight integrated module, compatible with shipborne robots for all-day maritime observation operations.

The shipborne robot operates continuously in nearshore areas, port zones, and inland waterways, where conditions frequently alternate between intense glare from sunlight on the sea surface, backlighting during dawn and dusk, complete darkness late at night, and dense sea fog. Identifying buoys, working vessels, and floating objects on the sea surface from long distances is a core requirement for inspection tasks. The KC9231M integrated zoom lens module is an optical imaging system specifically designed for unmanned platforms mounted on ships. This module features a 1/1.8-inch 2-megapixel CMOS image sensor and is equipped with a 6.0–186mm continuous optical zoom lens offering 31x magnification. At the wide-angle end, the field of view covers 59.8°, providing full coverage of the robot’s immediate waterside environment; at the telephoto end, the field of view narrows to 2.4°, enabling precise targeting of objects thousands of meters away on the sea surface. The zoom process is smooth and uniform, taking just 3.8 seconds, ensuring no image trailing or focus failure even when the vessel is subjected to rolling and pitching caused by wind and waves. Its all-weather imaging capability makes it ideal for uninterrupted day-and-night operations on ships: in color mode, the minimum illumination level is as low as 0.005 Lux, while in black-and-white mode, it can operate down to 0.0005 Lux. An ICR infrared filter automatically switches between day and night modes, allowing the system to capture clear details of the sea surface even in complete darkness late at night. Built-in native optical defogging algorithms, combined with 120dB ultra-wide dynamic range and 3D digital noise reduction technology, effectively counteract the hazy, salty mist and intense glare reflections on the water surface, delivering clean, noise-free images even in foggy conditions or under backlighting during dawn and dusk.

The hardware architecture is perfectly tailored to meet the lightweight, low-power, and narrow-bandwidth constraints of marine robots. It employs H.265 high-efficiency video coding with a flexible bitrate range from 32 kbps to 16 Mbps, significantly conserving the limited communication bandwidth available on unmanned vessels. The system supports simultaneous output of three video streams, seamlessly satisfying the demands of local storage, real-time remote monitoring from shore-based stations, and AI-powered intelligent recognition—all in one go. The device measures just 63×67×147 mm, weighs only 398 g, and consumes a static power of 2.5 W, thereby reducing the robot’s payload and extending its endurance at sea. Operating within an extended temperature range of -10°C to 60°C, it can withstand harsh marine conditions, including intense sunlight and extreme cold snaps, without suffering equipment failures. A 36-pin integrated FFC cable combines network ports, multiple serial ports, alarm interfaces, and audio connectors, enabling direct integration with ship-mounted pan-tilt units, edge computing terminals, and maritime GB28181 surveillance platforms. Built-in intelligent algorithms for motion detection, trespass alerts, and lens obstruction warnings allow the marine robot to autonomously detect oil spills, approaching unfamiliar vessels, and navigational hazards during autonomous cruising, promptly sending alert images to the shore-based command center.

II. CM102 Circular Encoding Control Board—Ensuring Stable and Precise Control of Shipborne Robot Gimbals

During the navigation of marine robots, continuous disturbances from sea waves, along with issues such as gimbal control delays, multi-protocol incompatibilities, power failures leading to parameter loss, and signal interference from salt spray, can easily cause the observed target to fall out of the camera’s field of view. The CM102 circular military-grade control board serves as the central control hub for the entire vision system and is deeply compatible with the KC9231M core module, effectively addressing the challenges of operating unmanned marine equipment. The board features a military-grade PCB substrate combined with an anti-salt-spray soldering process, which prevents solder joint虚焊 and signal interruptions caused by the high humidity and saline air found at sea. Its compact, 40×40mm circular design makes it ideal for the confined equipment compartments of marine robots. Standard positioning holes enable rapid modular assembly, while MCX copper signal connectors enhance resistance to interference, ensuring stable transmission of video and control signals even in the complex electromagnetic environment typical of maritime operations. The board is compatible with the full range of mainstream gimbal protocols, including SONY VISCA and PELCO-P/D, and supports adjustable baud rates from 2400 to 115,200. It is equipped with triple control channels—RS485, IO, and TTL—and synchronously coordinates the KC9231M zoom lens, gimbal pitch and yaw rotation, and audio-visual alarm components. Control commands are transmitted with millisecond-level latency, enabling real-time fine-tuning of the camera’s viewing angle even when the vessel is pitching and rolling, thus maintaining continuous lock-on to the target on the sea surface.

In response to unexpected power failures in maritime unmanned systems, the CM102 is equipped with a dedicated power-loss memory chip. After a power outage and subsequent restart during navigation, the system automatically restores the zoom magnification, gimbal pitch angle, and image exposure parameters—eliminating the need for staff to remotely re-adjust settings and ensuring uninterrupted execution of inspection missions. The device perfectly supports full-frame video output at 720P, 1080I, and 1080P, seamlessly integrating with the high-definition video stream from the KC9231M. It can also be linked with onboard attitude and hydrological sensors to overlay navigation data such as vessel speed, water depth, and hull tilt angle onto the surveillance footage. Both video images and navigation parameters are synchronously archived, meeting the regulatory requirements for maritime law enforcement evidence collection and channel survey documentation. Additionally, the device supports OEM and ODM custom development, enabling tailored control logic specifically designed for small-port inspection drones, offshore monitoring robots, and underwater exploration platforms.

III. Integrated hardware-and-software modular solutions that provide a one-stop answer to the pain points of offshore operations for shipborne robots.

A standalone movement or control board alone cannot meet the demands of fully autonomous inspection by marine robots. The Kaimorui KC9231M, paired with the CM102 complete vision module, leverages software-hardware synergy to tackle four key challenges faced by unmanned maritime equipment. First, the challenge of observing in extreme sea conditions: The KC9231M’s starlight low-illumination imaging combined with optical anti-fog technology enables all-weather filming; the CM102’s real-time gimbal dynamic correction ensures stable capture of distant targets even in dense fog, heavy rain, or late-night seas. Second, lightweight adaptation for unmanned platforms: With its dual-module, low-power, and miniaturized design, the system reduces the overall weight and power consumption of the robot, significantly extending its continuous operational duration at sea. Third, multi-device system compatibility and interoperability: The movement’s multiple communication interfaces, coupled with the control board’s full protocol support, seamlessly connect data links between onboard Beidou positioning systems, edge terminals, and shore-based maritime platforms, enabling real-time information exchange between ship and shore. Fourth, reliable long-term operation at sea: The CM102’s salt-mist-resistant military-grade enclosure, paired with the KC9231M’s wide-temperature and anti-aging body, provides dual hardware protection that drastically reduces the frequency of failures at sea, substantially cutting down on post-installation inspection and maintenance costs. This complete module suite is widely applicable to various marine robot use cases, including port berth security patrols, monitoring of nearshore navigation channels, ocean water quality and ecological observations, and emergency search-and-rescue operations for personnel at sea. It can autonomously perform long-distance target recognition, conduct end-to-end video evidence collection, and provide real-time risk alerts for maritime environments—effectively replacing manual boarding surveillance and high-risk offshore patrols, thereby comprehensively enhancing the intelligence level of maritime supervision.

IV. Compatible with multiple types of maritime carriers, enabling intelligent upgrades for ship robots across all scenarios.

The smart ocean industry is rapidly taking shape, with shipborne robots covering diverse application areas such as port patrols, inland waterway management, offshore environmental monitoring, and maritime emergency rescue. Thanks to its scenario-specific customization advantages, the KC9231M+CM102 complete vision module has become the standardized core hardware choice for domestic unmanned vessel manufacturers. The small-scale inspection unmanned boat for ports is equipped with a dual-module system, enabling round-the-clock surveillance of berth areas and accurately detecting illegal vessel moorings and oil spills on the sea surface. The long-range monitoring robot for offshore voyages leverages the KC9231M’s 31x ultra-long zoom lens to monitor navigation conditions over extended distances, while the CM102’s stable gimbal ensures hours of uninterrupted tracking of suspicious vessels. In maritime emergency rescue scenarios, under conditions of heavy rain or dense fog with low visibility, the rescue robot relies on starlight imaging technology to penetrate through water mist, quickly locating persons who have fallen into the water or distressed small boats and rafts. This complete hardware suite features open, standardized interfaces that allow manufacturers to conduct secondary, in-depth development, making it compatible with various platforms including surface unmanned boats, underwater exploration robots, and ship-mounted gimbals. It also seamlessly integrates with all mainstream domestic maritime command platforms, and the recorded video footage can be directly used as official evidence for law enforcement purposes.

For many years, Kaimorui has been deeply engaged in the R&D of specialized maritime visual hardware. Leveraging the powerful all-weather imaging capabilities of the KC9231M and the stable, precise control performance of the CM102, we have developed an integrated visual solution that is highly compatible with marine robots. With solid hardware technology, we are contributing to the construction of a smart ocean and providing various maritime unmanned platforms with all-weather, high-precision, and easily integrable comprehensive visual perception capabilities—thus comprehensively driving the shipping industry toward digitalization, unmanned operations, and intelligent transformation.