RockREMOTE Rugged
Built for exposed sites, heavy vehicles and equipment on the move, RockREMOTE Rugged provides resilient connectivity across LTE cellular and Iridium Certus 100 satellite networks. Its sealed enclosure and rugged connectors support permanent outdoor, mobile and semi-fixed installations in harsh operating environments. Ethernet, Wi-Fi and serial interfaces connect existing PLCs, RTUs, sensors and SCADA equipment, while automatic network switching and Cloudloop management help maintain communications beyond cellular coverage.
Key Capabilities
Supplying resilient satellite and cellular connectivity, industrial interfaces and remote management to your rugged communications gateway.
IP67-rated enclosure and rugged connectors for outdoor, mobile and semi-fixed deployments
Run hosted applications directly on the device for local processing and control
Connect PLCs, RTUs, sensors and onboard equipment through Ethernet, Wi-Fi and serial
Switch automatically between LTE cellular and Iridium Certus 100 satellite
Configure, monitor, diagnose and update devices remotely through Cloudloop
Resilient Connectivity for Remote Operations
RockREMOTE Rugged connects heavy vehicles, mobile plant and field equipment to existing operational systems, helping teams monitor assets, receive equipment alerts and collect data without replacing established infrastructure.
Its Linux-based operating system supports hosted applications and local processing at the edge. Data can be filtered, analysed or acted on closer to the equipment, reducing unnecessary transmission and making more efficient use of satellite bandwidth.
Automatic switching between LTE and Iridium Certus 100 helps maintain communications as conditions change, supporting faster responses to equipment issues, fewer unnecessary site visits and more consistent oversight of remote operations.
Watch Product Showcase
Manage Remote Deployments at Scale
Cloudloop Device Manager gives teams remote visibility and control across deployed RockREMOTE Rugged devices. Configuration changes, diagnostics, monitoring and software updates can be handled centrally, reducing site visits and simplifying support across larger fleets.
Combined with hosted applications and industrial interfaces, this makes RockREMOTE Rugged well suited to complex deployments such as unmanned vessels, remote monitoring systems and connected heavy equipment.
RockREMOTE Hardware Comparison
 RockREMOTE Mini OEM
|
 RockREMOTE Mini
|
RockREMOTE Rugged
|
 RockREMOTE
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Fit | Embedded into mobile or fixed equipment with a customer supplied enclosure | Mobile or fixed deployments | Mobile, tracking or fixed outdoor deployments | Fixed equipment in enclosed or sheltered installations |
| Form Factor | Integrator PCB assembly | Aluminium enclosure | Aluminium enclosure | Steel enclosure |
| Mounting | Optional brackets for bulkhead or pole mounting | Fixing holes for screw mounting or band clamps for pole mounting | Pre-drilled fixing holes, with optional brackets for bulkhead or pole mounting | Desktop placement on rubber feet or IEC/EN 60715 DIN rail mounting |
| Dimensions | 155.8 × 77.2 × 42.5 mm | 166.5 x 74.5 x 51.5mm | 250 × 97 × 61 mm | 193.3 × 120.3 × 117 mm |
| Weight | 288g | 646g | 1.2 kg | 1.263 kg |
| Environmental | None (no case) | IP66 | IP67 | IP5x for indoor or sheltered use |
| Power Consumption | <30mW sleep, <0.25W idle, <7.5W average transmit | <30mW sleep, <0.25W idle, <7.5W average transmit | 0 W sleep, 5 W idle, 9 W average transmit | 0 W sleep, 5 W idle, 9 W average transmit |
| Satellite Connectivity | Certus 100 IP at 22/88 Kbps and IMT messages up to 100 KB | Certus 100 IP at 22/88 Kbps and IMT messages up to 100 KB | Certus 100 IP at 22/88 Kbps and IMT messages up to 100 KB | Certus 100 IP at 22/88 Kbps and IMT messages up to 100 KB |
| Cellular Connectivity | No | No | LTE Cat 1 and Cat 4 with automatic WAN failover | LTE Cat 1 and Cat 4 with automatic WAN failover |
| GNSS | Multi constellation GNSS with U.FL antenna connection; optional SMA | Multi constellation GNSS with SMA antenna connection | Multi constellation GNSS with SMA antenna connection | Multi constellation GNSS with SMA antenna connection |
| Interfaces | Ethernet (available on pin out), Serial RS232, RS485, GPIO (2 x I, 2 x O) | Ethernet, Serial RS232, RS485, GPIO (2 x I, 2 x O) | Ethernet, Serial RS232, RS485, optional Wi-Fi | Ethernet, Serial RS232, RS485/RS422, optional Wi-Fi |
| Voice | No | No | Optional single SIP voice channel with Land Mobile certification | No |
| Bluetooth | BLE smartphone configuration supported | BLE 5.0 | No | No |
| MQTT & FTP Facades | ||||
| View Product | View Product | Buy Now | View Product |
Marine and Oceanographic Monitoring
Transmit higher volumes of sensor and operational data from data buoys, unmanned surface vessels and other exposed marine platforms.
Conservation and Environmental Monitoring
Send images and sensor data from remote camera traps and monitoring stations, helping teams respond faster to activity in the field.
Heavy Machinery and Mobile Plant
Connect machinery used in agriculture, construction and mining to monitoring and maintenance systems, even as equipment moves through areas of inconsistent cellular coverage.
Pipeline and Energy Infrastructure
Support safety monitoring, leak detection and maintenance planning across pipelines and other widely distributed infrastructure
Utilities and Renewable Energy
Extend SCADA and telemetry communications to remote water, energy and renewable power sites without replacing existing field equipment.
Technical Essentials
Use these headline specifications to assess RockREMOTE Rugged’s fit with your field equipment, installation environment and expected data volumes.
IP67, -40°C to +70°C
Designed for permanent outdoor installation, with environmental protection and vibration ratings suited to exposed, fixed and mobile deployments.
Automatic LTE to Satellite Failover
Use LTE Cat 1 or Cat 4 where available, automatically switching to Iridium Certus 100 when cellular coverage is unavailable.
Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Configurable Serial
Connect PLCs, RTUs, sensors and onboard equipment through Ethernet, Wi-Fi (optional), RS-232 or configurable RS-422/RS-485 interfaces.
22 Kbps Up / 88 Kbps Down
Use Certus 100 IP connectivity for SCADA, remote monitoring and applications that require an IP connection.
1 Byte to 100 KB per IMT Message
Exchange compact status updates, files and larger payloads through efficient message-based satellite communications.
Remote Device Management
Configure, monitor and troubleshoot deployed terminals remotely through Cloudloop Device Manager.
10–30 V DC Input
Connect to common industrial and vehicle DC power systems, with sleep functionality available for power sensitive deployments.
Fixed and Pole Mount Installation
Secure the gateway using four external fixing points, with optional brackets available for pole mounting and other exposed installations.
Product Specifications
Physical and Environmental
- Form Factor
- Fully enclosed, dual-mode industrial communications gateway for permanent outdoor, mobile and semi-fixed installations.
- Enclosure Material
- Aluminium casing with sealed external connectors.
- Dimensions
- 250 × 90 × 61 mm (9.84 × 3.54 × 2.40 in),Including brackets: 262 × 90 × 67 mm (10.31 × 3.54 × 2.64 in)
- Weight
- 1.2 kg (2.65 lb)
- Ingress Protection
- IP67 protection against dust and water ingress.
- Operating Temperature
- -40°C to +70°C (-40°F to +158°F).
- Vibration Rating
- Tested to EN 300 019-2-5 and EN 300 019-2-7 for exposed and mobile operating environments.
- Mounting
- Four external fixing holes support secure mechanical fastening to a bulkhead or other structure. Optional brackets are available for pole mounting.
Rugged Connections and Installation
- Power Connection
- Sealed three-pin Switchcraft/Conxall connection for DC power and sleep control.
- Ethernet Interface
- One rugged Amphenol eight-pin Ethernet connection, with a cable terminating in an RJ45 plug for connection to local equipment.
- Serial I/O Connection
- One rugged Amphenol 12-pin connection for serial communications.
- Iridium Antenna Connection
- TNC connection for an approved external passive omnidirectional antenna.
- Cellular and GNSS Connections
- Separate SMA connections for external LTE cellular and GNSS antennas.
- Wi-Fi Antenna Connection
- Reverse polarity SMA connection for an external Wi-Fi antenna.
Communications
- Satellite Network
- Iridium
- Iridium Transceiver
- Iridium Certus 9770
- Satellite Services
- Iridium Certus 100 IP data and Iridium Messaging Transport
- Communication Type
- Two way IP or message-based satellite communication
- Certus 100 Data Rate
- 22 Kbps upload and 88 Kbps download
- IMT Message Size
- Flexible payloads from 1 to 100,000 bytes
- Cellular Connectivity
- LTE Cat 1 and Cat 4, with region specific variants
- Automatic WAN Failover
- Automatically switches between LTE cellular and Iridium satellite connectivity according to the configured routing strategy
- Wi-Fi (Optional)
- 2.4 GHz wireless LAN connectivity
- GNSS
- Multi constellation GNSS positioning through an external antenna connection
- SIM Cards
- Two standard 2FF SIM slots for Iridium satellite and cellular services.
- Optional Voice
- A single SIP voice channel is available only on units purchased with the appropriate land-mobile certification.
Compute, Security and Data Handling
- Input Voltage
- 10–30 V DC.
- Power Supply Requirement
- The external supply should be capable of delivering 30 W during startup.
- Power Consumption
- 5 W idle and 9 W average transmit.
- Sleep Control
- Dedicated sleep control through the sealed three-pin power connection.
- Power Cable
- One two-metre power cable with a sealed connector and cut ends.
Interfaces and Integration
- Ethernet Interface
- Connect PLCs, RTUs, sensors, onboard systems and other local equipment through the rugged Ethernet connection.
- Serial Interface
- Configurable serial communications supporting RS-232 and RS-422/RS-485.
- Local Configuration
- Browser-based management interface available through the local Ethernet or Wi-Fi network.
- Local APIs
- REST APIs provide access to connection status, system information, time, GNSS information and Iridium Messaging Transport functions.
- Local Time Service
- Runs an NTP server on the local network, allowing connected devices to synchronise their time using a periodic GNSS fix or a configured external NTP server as the time source.
Compute, Networking and Security
- Linux Based Platform
- The Linux based operating system supports local networking, MQTT, message handling, APIs and device-management functions.
- Network Management
- Connection strategies, routing rules and firewall settings provide control over how local equipment uses cellular and satellite communications.
- Security
- Configurable firewalls, secure end-to-end networking and inbuilt hardware encryption.
Device Management and Data Handling
- Remote Device Management
- Cloudloop Device Manager supports remote configuration, status monitoring, service logs, diagnostics, alerts, reboot commands and software updates.
- Cloudloop Services
- Cloudloop Subscription Manager provides airtime, usage, cost and subscription management. Cloudloop Device Manager manages deployed terminals, while Cloudloop Data supports the exchange and routing of IMT messages into customer systems and cloud services.
- MQTT IoT Gateway
- Connected equipment can publish data to a local MQTT broker. RockREMOTE Rugged packages the data and transmits it over Iridium Messaging Transport to Cloudloop.
- Message Buffering and Delivery
- Configurable queues, message batching, transmission retries and optional compression help improve delivery and use satellite data efficiently.
- Raw IMT API
- Local applications can send IMT messages, check outbound message status, receive and acknowledge inbound messages, and manage message queues through REST API endpoints.
- FTP Over IMT
- Files received by the local FTP service can be compressed and transferred through Iridium Messaging Transport.
Regulatory and Certification
- Satellite Certification
- Iridium Certus 100 IoT certified.
- Product Compliance
- CE, FCC, IC/ISED, UKCA and RoHS compliant. Australian RCM conformity.
- Outdoor Safety Testing
- The Rugged version has been tested to IEC 60950-22 requirements for outdoor equipment.
Developer Support
RockREMOTE is supported by detailed installation, configuration and operation documentation. A browser based management console provides local setup and diagnostic tools, while REST APIs give connected equipment access to network status, system information, GNSS data and raw IMT messaging.
The integrated IoT gateway translates local MQTT traffic into efficient IMT messages, while FTP over IMT supports compressed file transfers. Cloudloop Device Manager provides remote configuration, diagnostics, monitoring and OTA software updates, helping teams manage deployed terminals without routine site visits.
FAQs
Iridium Certus is a TCP/IP based service enabling a bi-directional ‘always on’ connection between field assets and a back end solution.
Security is made up of a number of elements within the RockREMOTE Rugged solution. The network security is offered through VPN connections both from the satellite ground station to the land network connection, then from there to the customer site. This is further enhanced though the availability of the inbuilt hardware security module which can encrypt the data before being sent over the network, ensuring that, even if accessed along the way, data is unusable to anyone who has accessed it.
RockREMOTE Rugged powers up and can start to send data within 90 seconds from cold start.
If network connectivity is lost, RockREMOTE Rugged will automatically re-acquire connectivity to either Satellite or Cellular networks.
RockREMOTE Rugged will auto-restart and return to its previous state after a power outage. It will automatically restore an active Iridium or cellular connection, for example.
Iridium Messaging Transport (IMT) uses the Certus 100 service; the plans are the same price and have the data allowance regardless of whether you’re using IMT, a message-based protocol, or Certus 100, a TCP/IP-based protocol. However, the cost of sending your data via IMT is going to be substantially lower than sending your data via Certus 100. This is because there is no TCP/IP overhead in a message-based service; you only send your data payload. That said, IMT is more technically involved to implement.
If you send your data via Certus 100, as an IP-based service, it’s highly interoperable with your existing software, and integration will be simple. If you send your data via IMT, you’ll need to “chop it up” first, and reassemble it at the far end. If you can do this, it’s a far more cost-effective way of sending data, but needs some programming skill. We’re here to help so just get in touch if you’d like some advice on this, or representative costs for using IMT over Certus 100.
Use of the MQTT broker service is included as long as you have an active Certus device activated with us using IMT (Iridium Messaging Transport). IMT messages are taken from the device allowance in bytes (but are much more efficient due to no TCP/IP overhead).
We recommend using our MQTT broker if using IMT over RockREMOTE as then we can support your implementation fully. More details on Cloudloop MQTT here: www.docs.groundcontrol.com/iot/rockremote.
Discuss Your Remote Connectivity Requirements
Are you planning connectivity for heavy vehicles, mobile plant or industrial equipment operating in exposed and remote environments?
Talk to our team about your interfaces, coverage, power, data volumes and installation requirements to confirm whether RockREMOTE Rugged is the right fit.
Complete our online form or email hello@groundcontrol.com, and we’ll be in touch within one working day.