In 2025, we surveyed professionals from across the superyacht sector, including captains, engineers, integrators, and shipyard staff, to better understand real-world visibility challenges at sea. The results confirmed something we've heard time and again: even with the latest navigation tech, blind spots and low-visibility conditions still pose a serious operational concern.
The Visibility Problem is Real
According to the survey, 87% of yacht captains on vessels 30m+ struggle with visibility from the wheelhouse, 56% specifically highlighted blind spots as a major issue, 48% cited delayed detection of hazards like small boats or debris, and 35% reported difficulty tracking nearby vessels and tenders.
The Case for Smarter, Simpler Vision Systems
Every respondent in the survey saw value in a 360° day/night camera system — not only to improve real-time situational awareness, but also for incident and near-miss review. This suggests a clear demand for:
- Full-coverage, always-on visibility.
- Systems that integrate smoothly with existing tech (ONVIF, NMEA, etc.).
- A way to enhance crew safety without adding operational complexity.
What We're Doing About It
Panoblu was designed specifically for this gap. The thermal-infrared 360° camera system is purpose-built to deliver complete visibility in real-time, day or night. Panoblu can also review events in the past, allowing operators easy documentation of events. Whether it's for newbuilds, refits, or fleet upgrades, we're helping crews move from partial coverage to total situational awareness.