Methodology
How Sondra builds an attribution-support record
No single source is sufficient. Sondra can combine AIS, satellite imagery, RF observations and ownership intelligence into an auditable confidence assessment. Data availability, licensing and model configuration vary by deployment.
AIS · vessel self-reporting
Terrestrial and satellite AIS feeds give us position, course, speed and identity for the cooperative majority of the global fleet. Used as the spine of every track and the baseline for detecting gaps, loitering and drag patterns.
- Terrestrial AIS aggregators and open feeds
- Satellite AIS constellations from commercial providers
- National coastguard and port authority feeds where available
Satellite SAR · independent imaging
Synthetic Aperture Radar detects vessels and wakes through cloud and darkness, independent of what a vessel chooses to broadcast. Used to confirm presence during AIS gaps and to corroborate location at the moment of interest.
- Open EU Earth-observation radar programmes
- Commercial SAR constellations
- Tasked acquisitions for high-priority incident windows
RF geolocation · emitter triangulation
Space-based radio-frequency geolocation locates active maritime emitters (VHF, X-band radar, satcom) regardless of AIS state. Used to triangulate vessels operating dark and to place named assets inside a sensor cell.
- Commercial RF-survey constellations
- Government RF tip-offs where shareable under agreement
OSINT · ownership and pattern of life
Open-source intelligence resolves a hull to its beneficial owners, operators, flag history and prior incidents. Used for attribution narratives, sanctions screening and the audit trail in evidence packages.
- Public vessel registry sources
- Sanctions and watchlist databases
- Corporate registry providers
- Port-call and bunkering records, AIS history archives
Figures shown are representative.
This environment is an interactive demonstration of the Sondra console, not an operational monitoring service. Vessel tracks, incident confidences, SAR overlays, RF cones, KPI counters, organisations and report figures are representative and fictional. The weightings shown are illustrative demonstration weighting, not a fixed production model. Source categories describe compatible or potential sources, subject to licensing and availability; no active integration, contract or customer relationship is implied.