IANAN. The sensor detection sounds pretty unlikely. But what about some other possible methods:
The end of an SLR lens is domed/convex, and slightly reflective (even the best ones are slightly). The lens would have to be pointed at the ship for the system to care about it. In that state, shining a laser at the lens and detecting the reflection would pick up the reflection profile of the convex surface (you'd need a 2d array of sensors to pick up the range of return angles as the laser moves from the center of the lens), and finding the center would be fairly easy - so you'd know where to fire. How many other reflective convex surfaces have their axis of rotation pointed straight at the boat?
I imagine this is mostly a problem when in dock, or at anchor, where the paparazzi are probably all in one location (or a few), so the search space could be very quickly narrowed down by a human.
Seems like a pretty frivolous way to spend money, but at least it's being spent.
The end of an SLR lens is domed/convex, and slightly reflective (even the best ones are slightly). The lens would have to be pointed at the ship for the system to care about it. In that state, shining a laser at the lens and detecting the reflection would pick up the reflection profile of the convex surface (you'd need a 2d array of sensors to pick up the range of return angles as the laser moves from the center of the lens), and finding the center would be fairly easy - so you'd know where to fire. How many other reflective convex surfaces have their axis of rotation pointed straight at the boat?
I imagine this is mostly a problem when in dock, or at anchor, where the paparazzi are probably all in one location (or a few), so the search space could be very quickly narrowed down by a human.
Seems like a pretty frivolous way to spend money, but at least it's being spent.