Scope of services: what can AvNav do

Anyone using navigation software primarily wants to get safely from A to B. AvNav offers more than just a simple map display for this purpose and combines many functions for which you would traditionally need several separate devices on board.

The foundation of every navigation system is the map material. AvNav is extremely flexible and natively supports a wide variety of raster chart formats. Of particular interest to many skippers is the seamless integration of current vector charts. Through the o-charts system, cost-effective, high-quality nautical charts can be used directly in AvNav. On the map itself, routes can be planned intuitively via touch, waypoints can be set, and distances can be measured. Once planned, trips can be saved, exported, or transferred directly to a connected autopilot, which then steers the ship along the route.

In addition to the map itself, AvNav functions as a full-fledged instrument display. If the boat's corresponding sensors are connected, data such as wind direction, wind speed, water depth, or log can be displayed in clear display fields ("widgets") directly next to the nautical chart or in separate display panels ("dashboards"). You can freely arrange these displays according to your own wishes, so that you have exactly the values that are relevant for the current situation in view in the cockpit.

An important safety feature is the integration of AIS (Automatic Identification System) data. If the boat receives signals from other ships, AvNav displays them accurately on the map. In the background, the software continuously calculates whether you are approaching another ship dangerously and issues warnings if critical values for the Closest Point of Approach (CPA) and Time to Closest Point of Approach (TCPA) are reached.

To allow all this sensor data to converge, AvNav includes another invisible but powerful function: it works as a so-called NMEA multiplexer. This means that AvNav can collect and process data from various sources (such as GPS mouse, anemometer, AIS receiver, depth sounder, log, ...) and forward it to other devices or apps. Connection to modern ship networks such as SignalK is also possible without any problems, making AvNav the central data hub on board.