Abstract: Intelligence is a development trend of the inland waterway navigation system. Firstly, this paper introduces the key-technologies of the inland waterway intelligent navigation system’s design and development in the aspects of buoys synchronous flash and remote controlling, radio beacon, virtual navigation, and so on; secondly, analyses are made on the inland waterway navigation environment factors, a clear summary is given of the key. technologies of water level and visibility information services, control of waterway traffic guidance system, and the applications of the Yangtze River waterway intelligent navigation system are briefed. Finally, an introduction is made of the development trend of the inland waterway intelligent navigation system in the future in the aspects of the inland waterway terrain perception, 3D electronic navigation chart, a navigation integrated information service, and navigational facilities asset management.