IoT and M2M Connectivity
We design and build satellite IoT solutions so you can retrieve your data from anywhere. From farm telemetry to flood warnings to forestry machinery, we’ve got you covered.
We work with developers, manufacturers and systems integrators to help solve your remote data transfer challenges.
Selecting the Right Satellite
IoT Hardware & Airtime
These questions are aimed at helping you narrow down your options. We’re here to help, so please contact us if you’d like any support identifying the best solution for your needs.
Low Volume
E.g. telemetry, sensor data. A few bytes to a few kilobytes.
For low volumes of data, messaging services are highly cost effective (if you’re not familiar with messaging services, it’s not dissimilar to how SMS works, but over satellite).
You should investigate Iridium SBD and Viasat IoT Nano for critical applications, or Globalstar for latency-tolerant use cases.
Medium Volume
E.g. audio, images, log files. Kilobytes to a few megabytes.
For medium volume use cases, you should consider Iridium Certus 100 or Viasat IoT Pro (BGAN M2M) if you need to send your data via IP.
If you can work with a message-based protocol, which is usually more cost effective, Iridium Messaging Transport is a great option.
High Volume
E.g. video. Megabytes to gigabytes.
If you need to transmit high volumes of IoT data, it’s worth exploring VSAT solutions.
Yes, My Device Does
Great, edge computing, reporting by exception and condition-based logging will help reduce the amount of data you need to transmit, potentially opening up messaging services for your application.
No, My Device Doesn't
You could consider a communications device which has edge processing capability such as the RockREMOTE Mini, RockBLOCK Pro, or the RockBLOCK RTU.
Real Time Data
For continuously updated telemetry, live control or an open connection to a remote device, choose an IP-based service. Iridium Certus 100 and Viasat IoT Pro support two way IP connectivity for applications where data needs to remain available with minimal delay.
Rapid Messaging
When data is needed within seconds rather than continuously, message-based services offer a more power- and cost-efficient option. Iridium SBD and IMT are suited to alerts, tracking and telemetry that can be packaged into individual messages, typically delivered in around 10 seconds under good conditions.
Scheduled Updates
Some applications only need to report several times a day, or when a threshold is reached. Store-and-forward services such as Globalstar, Kinéis and emerging NTN NB-IoT networks can suit smaller, delay-tolerant datasets where low power consumption and affordable connectivity matter more than immediate delivery.
Private Networks
Critical infrastructure operators may require a network they can own and control, with no reliance on the public internet. SCADASat by TSAT provides a dedicated private satellite network between remote sites and the control center, designed specifically for secure SCADA, telemetry and utility communications.
Fixed
You’ve got more options as your antenna can be pointed at a fixed point in the sky, opening up geostationary services like Viasat. If your location is heavily wooded and hilly, a Low Earth Orbit service like Iridium may be better as satellites are passing constantly overhead. Equally, if your device is in the far North or South hemispheres, you will get better service from Iridium, as it has full polar coverage, and most geostationary networks do not.
Mobile
You either need an auto-pointing device to connect with a geostationary satellite (such as Viasat) or – and it’s usually a better option – an omni-directional antenna which speaks to a satellite constellation in Low Earth Orbit (such as Iridium) which will retain constant contact with your things as they move.
Product Suggestions By Data Volume
Sending Less Than 10 KB of Data Per Month?
These devices utilize the globally available Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) service, which is a cost-effective way of sending very small amounts of sensor data.
RockBLOCK 9603 is an integrator PCB that delivers plug-and-play SBD connectivity. It’s widely used to transmit simple sensor data reliably and with very low latency. If you need an external version, the RockBLOCK Plus houses the modem in a ruggedized and waterproof case, with 9-30v power input and RS-232 data link.
If you need compute power, the RockBLOCK RTU is a compact, low power micro-data logger with the ability to transmit variable sensor data and either trigger an alert or activate a device in response.
Sending 10-55 KB of Data Per Month?
Iridium Messaging Transport via the Iridium 9704 module is power-efficient and cost-effective, and the basis for the following recommended devices.
RockBLOCK 9704 makes it easy to work with the module, adding an antenna (patch or external), power supply requirements, and a simple serial interface. It’s ideal for space and weight-constrained environments.
The RockBLOCK Pro / Pro OEM devices manage message queuing, retries, and network issues, reducing development complexity. They have built-in GNSS and configurable I/O options, and support legacy 9603 AT commands.
Sending Over 55 KB of Data Per Month?
The RockREMOTE series utilizes Iridium Certus 100 (IP-based) and Iridium Messaging Transport (message-based), making them highly versatile. RockREMOTE Rugged can also transmit via LTE when available, and has sufficient compute power for hosted applications.
A strong alternative is the Hughes 9502, which is a Viasat IoT Pro (BGAN M2M)-enabled device. It’s C1/D2 certified, making it suitable for use in hazardous environments, and is very popular within Utilities and Oil & Gas.
If you’re sending substantial volumes of IoT data, you may want to look at a more traditional VSAT solution. We recommend TSAT, particularly within critical national infrastructure, as it delivers a private satellite network with no dependency on the public internet.
Working with Ground Control
Whether you want to self-serve from beginning to end, or tap into Ground Control’s 20-plus years’ of experience, we’ve got you covered.
Get Inspired
Want to browse products? Head to our IoT product pages. Not sure what you need for your project, or want to talk through your options? We are a passionate team of entrepreneurs and engineers, we’ve worked on thousands of satellite IoT projects – we’re happy to talk about your project.
Get Started
Once you’ve selected your preferred device, you’ll need airtime. We offer a credits-based pay-as-you-go system designed for proof of concept trials, as it keeps costs highly predictable and controlled. We also offer some of the best-priced airtime rates for Viasat and Iridium available today.
Get Informed
All of our customers gain free access to Cloudloop. This is our network-agnostic, developer-friendly, subscription, device and data management platform. Integrate directly into your eco system or consume the data via a customer-friendly, data rich UI. Or do both – you choose.
Get Inventive
What our customers do with our hardware genuinely inspires us. Most applications involve some sort of sensor, a processor to read data from the sensor, and Ground Control providing data transmission. The possibilities aren’t quite endless but they’re not far off!
Feature development is customer-led, so if you’re not sure if our devices can deliver what you need, talk to one of our support team and we’ll see what we can do.
Get Value
Thanks to increased competition, satellite connectivity prices have come down in recent years, and with the advent of standards-based networking systems, they may come down further still.
Our role is to ensure that you get the best possible value for money, taking into account data speeds, volume, latency, location and security. We have some of the lowest cost airtime service plans available. And with Cloudloop, you can set up alerts if any of your devices are over-spending, and even automatically deactivate them.
Agriculture
Connect sensors, livestock and machinery to improve yields, manage resources and reduce site visits.
Conservation
Track wildlife, teams and equipment while collecting vital data from protected areas beyond terrestrial coverage.
Environment
Transmit reliable sensor and telemetry data from remote, inhospitable and power-constrained environments.
Machinery
Monitor, maintain and protect valuable equipment operating across remote and demanding worksites.
Oil & Gas
Deliver reliable monitoring and control data across remote wells, pipelines and production facilities.
Renewables
Collect critical data from remote wind, solar and hydro sites without relying on terrestrial networks.
Drones & UAVs
Enable BVLOS command, control and telemetry with reliable satellite connectivity beyond cellular coverage.
Utilities
Keep remote infrastructure visible and controllable with resilient delivery of SCADA and IoT data.
Water Utilities
Connect remote water and wastewater sensors for reliable monitoring, telemetry and operational control.
Trusted By
Ready to extend the reach of your IoT application?
We’re here to help. With highly experienced staff based in the UK and USA, we’re here to talk through your most challenging remote connectivity requirements.
Complete the form, email hello@groundcontrol.com, or if you prefer to speak to someone directly, call us on +44 (0) 1452 751940 (Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania) or +1.805.783.4600 (North and South America).