Tocaro Blue is supporting Captain Red Flowers as he takes on the expanded 2026 Great Loop Challenge, a 7,300+ nautical mile journey raising funds and awareness for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
Following Red’s record-setting 2024 run, which covered the original 6,000-mile route in 19 days and 19 hours, the latest challenge aims to build on the mission and reach a $1 million fundraising goal.
At the heart of Tocaro Blue’s contribution is maritime perception. Its ApolloCore™ software, building on the capabilities of ProteusCore™, works with commercially available marine sensors to provide real-time detection, classification, and tracking of vessels, obstacles, and other hazards. Integrated with Red’s Raymarine Cyclone radar and Teledyne FLIR Marine M364C PTZ camera, the technology adds an intelligent perception layer to the vessel, helping improve situational awareness throughout the demanding journey.
The challenge also provides a valuable real-world environment for advancing maritime autonomy, demonstrating how the same perception technologies can support both manned and unmanned operations across changing weather and traffic conditions.
The wider effort brings together partners including Honda Marine, Hefring Marine, Raymarine, Teledyne FLIR Marine, Portā Products, and Sharrow Marine, with each contributing to the vessel and its mission. Tocaro Blue’s involvement highlights the growing role of advanced perception systems in safer, smarter maritime operations.
Perception at Sea: Tocaro Blue’s Technology on the Great Loop Challenge.
