Optimizing Accuracy and Efficiency in Ship Detection from Satellite Images through a Comparative Analysis of Object Detection Models

This study evaluates the performance of Faster R-CNN and YOLOv7 object detectors for dynamic ship detection in maritime applications. Both algorithms are tested under challenging conditions, including poor image quality due to cloud and dust obscuration, varying lighting, and high-altitude captures. The necessity for detection methods with high accuracy and efficiency in such environments is discussed. Results show that Faster R-CNN outperforms YOLOv7 in detection accuracy, achieving superior precision, recall, mAP, and F1 scores. This accuracy allows for successful identification and classification of ships even in low-quality images. However, despite its accuracy advantage, Faster R-CNN falls short in speed, with an average detection time of 53.4 seconds, making it less viable for real-time use. Conversely, YOLOv7 processes images significantly faster, with an extraction time of just 21.6 seconds, though at the cost of lower accuracy. Its rapid processing makes YOLOv7 more suitable for real-time applications requiring quick decisions. This study underscores the importance of balancing detection accuracy and speed when selecting an algorithm for ship detection, offering key insights to enhance maritime safety, traffic monitoring, and autonomous navigation systems.