US 12664897 B2 / Jun 23, 2026

System and method to avoid obstacles in an autonomous unmanned maritime vehicle

A method and system for detecting and avoiding an obstacle of an autonomous unmanned maritime vehicle (UMV) traveling in an initial direction are described. The method and system include receiving a video image from at least one image sensor, the video image containing an object that has been identified as an obstacle, determining if the object can be associated with an object class from the plurality of predetermined object classes, accessing a mean height value for the object class if it determined that the object can be associated with an object class from the plurality of predetermined object classes, determining a distance between the UMV and the object based on a height of the object as displayed in the video image and the mean height for the object class, and automatically adjusting the navigational control of the autonomous UMV to travel in an adjusted direction.