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ACR calls for global recognition of electronic flares

ACR Electronics is urging regulators to recognise electronic flares internationally as an alternative to pyrotechnic distress signals for commercial and leisure vessels.

22 Jul

Edited July 22, 2026

Content by Elaine Veale

Person in rough seas raises red distress flare under storm clouds during marine emergency

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Electronic flare standards move into focus

ACR Electronics and its Ocean Signal brand are calling for wider adoption of electronic visual distress signalling devices, or eVDSDs, and an international standard recognising them as approved distress signals.

According to ACR, the United States Coast Guard completed the replacement of pyrotechnic flares aboard its cutters with electronic devices by June 2026. The company said this supports a broader shift towards electronic distress signalling.

Electronic flares approved in the US and Canada

ACR said an RTCM performance standard is in place and approved electronic flares can legally replace pyrotechnic flares on recreational boats in the United States and Canada.

The company added that pyrotechnic flare carriage requirements remain in force internationally for vessels covered by International Maritime Organization conventions and under some national regulations.

The indicators and industry trend signal a clear shift toward electronics as the future of distress signaling.
In today’s age, with a formidable array of reliable electronic safety tools and advanced modern alerting and locating systems available, ACR Electronics believes eVDSDs are the logical alternative to pyrotechnic flares.
Commercial operators and recreational boaters should no longer have to accept the drawbacks and risks associated with pyrotechnic flares, which raise issues for user safety and the environment, and create problems on land with disposal, transportation and storage.
Now it is time to establish an international standard for eVDSDs that could be adopted by the IMO and other maritime agencies, recognizing this new emerging technology globally, instead of country-by-country approvals.
We urge regulators to approve electronic flares as an equivalent carriage option, so the mandatory carriage of pyrotechnic devices can be phased out for the benefit of commercial vessels and leisure boaters across the world.

Mikele D'Arcangelo, Vice President of Global Marketing and Product Management at ACR Electronics and Ocean Signal

How electronic flares work

ACR said eVDSDs use strobing LED patterns and can operate for hours, while pyrotechnic flares typically burn for 30 seconds to three minutes. The company said electronic devices can be tested, reused, recharged or fitted with replacement batteries and RTCM-approved models produce the internationally recognised SOS flash pattern.