Bridge scout

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The bridge scout is a device that was developed to detect the clearance height of bridges in inland navigation. It is based on laser measurement in conjunction with GPS .

In inland navigation , accidents occur every year due to collisions between ship and bridge . The highest fixed point on a barge is the wheelhouse . Most ships can be adjusted in height so that it is possible to pass under low bridges. Due to technical defects or human error, accidents occur again and again if the wheelhouse was not lowered in time. This leads to major property damage and also to accidents with personal injuries, which can sometimes be fatal.

Structure and mode of operation

The bridge scout consists of four components, the sensor with infrared laser that is mounted on the wheelhouse with a clear view to the front, a screen, a GPS antenna that is installed at a distance of five meters in front of the sensor and a PC box as a GPS computer . Route maps with all object data are stored in the computer. The bridge scout is activated as soon as the ship approaches a stored object (bridge) within 500 meters. From a distance of 300 meters, an alarm is triggered and the distance, speed and time to the object are displayed on the screen. If the measured height agrees with the entered height, no alarm is triggered. If the bridge scout sensor is covered by an object for a long time, a warning appears on the screen, if the wheelhouse height does not match the bridge height, visual and acoustic alarms are triggered that prompt the skipper to lower the wheelhouse further.

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