Updates to digital nautical charts and publications

The Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) is currently developing methods to update Digital Nautical Charts (DNCs) and digital navigation publications. Digital chart updates will be rendered in vector product format (VPF), the DMA standard for digital chart production. Hydrographic data will be processed by DMA cartographers, who will ensure that digital updates are integrated with existing DNCs. Corrective information for digital publications will be processed using DMA's Text Product Standard (TPS). All digital updates will be made available to the navigator on a regular basis. Possible media of delivery include CD-ROM, electronic transmission, and magnetic/optical medium. Once the transfer of corrective data is complete, one of several proposed methods will automatically update digital products. The maintenance of nautical products could be made significantly easier, particularly regarding the traditional cut-and-paste chartlets and corrections to navigation publications. However, the proposed methods present many obstacles and require strict evaluation prior to acceptance. The means to update digital nautical products must preserve the standard of navigational safety associated with current practices while representing a relief from much of the navigator's burden of maintaining nautical information.