RockBLOCK APNT uses the Iridium Satellite Timing and Location (APNT) service to deliver independent, GNSS-free position and timing data. In independent field testing, Iridium PNT has demonstrated resilience to GPS jamming and spoofing where conventional GNSS receivers failed.
Access to the service requires an Iridium APNT license, and the right license depends on how your platform moves. There are three license types, Critical Infrastructure, Asset Tracking, and Vehicle Navigation, each processed differently by the Iridium network to suit that class of platform.
Which Iridium PNT License Do You Need?
| License | Capabililty | Typical Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Infrastructure | Timing and static location | Fixed installations, ground stations, timing references |
| Asset Tracking | Timing and dynamic location | Vessels, ground-based moving assets |
| Vehicle Navigation | Timing and additional positioning data for integration with other navigation sources | Aircraft, drones, and platforms requiring higher accuracy fused navigation |
RockBLOCK APNT is a developer board built for integration into a wide range of platforms, so its correct license depends on your specific use case. Vehicle Navigation provides richer positioning data than the other two tiers, intended to be fused with GNSS and other navigation inputs in your own navigation system to derive a more accurate position.
Iridium PNT License Pricing
| License Type | Annual Price |
|---|---|
| Critical Infrastructure | $850 £680 |
| Asset Tracking | $1,250 £1,000 |
| Vehicle Navigation | $2,500 £2,000 |
Prices shown are for a 12 month term, per device. High volume discounts and multi-year terms are available; contact us for full pricing across all term lengths and device quantities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Critical Infrastructure covers timing and static location for platforms that don’t move. Asset Tracking adds dynamic location for moving assets such as vessels and ground vehicles. Vehicle Navigation is licensed for aircraft and drones, and provides additional positioning data intended to be integrated with GNSS and other navigation sources in your own system.
Using the wrong license for your platform is a licensing compliance issue, and for Vehicle Navigation, also means missing out on data your system is built to use.
It depends on what you build with it. A few examples: a RockBLOCK APNT fitted to a buoy or fixed monitoring station would use Critical Infrastructure. The same board integrated into a USV would use Asset Tracking. Fitted to a UGV or a UAV, it would need Vehicle Navigation instead. If you’re not sure which applies to your platform, contact us with your use case and we’ll confirm the right license before you order.
Vehicle Navigation delivers more positioning data than the other two tiers, but getting the accuracy benefit from it means integrating that data with GNSS and other navigation inputs in your own navigation system.
This is genuine integration work, not a setting you switch on, so it’s worth factoring into your development timeline if you’re planning to use this license tier. Contact us if you’d like to discuss what that integration typically involves.
No, and this catches some people out because it’s the opposite of how the hardware itself is priced. RockBLOCK APNT hardware does get cheaper at volume, but the Iridium APNT license fee is flat per device regardless of quantity. The only lever that reduces the effective annual cost is committing to a longer license term.
No, this is a hard exclusion in the Iridium PNT service terms, regardless of license type or use case.
Coverage is global, but a handful of countries – India, Jordan, Malaysia, Peru, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand – require additional local regulatory authorization before use. Embargoed and sanctioned countries, including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria, are excluded entirely. If you’re deploying into any of these, factor in the authorization step before your go-live date; this isn’t something Ground Control can bypass on your behalf.
Yes, if your platform’s use case changes, for example your RockBLOCK APNT deployment moves from a fixed installation to a mobile one, contact us to move to the correct license type. You shouldn’t run a device on a license that no longer matches how it’s actually being used, since that’s when reliability issues tend to show up.
Get a Quote for Your Iridium PNT License
Ground Control has over 20 years of experience designing and manufacturing tracking and positioning technology, and works directly with Iridium to bring Assured PNT to market through RockFLEET Assured and RockBLOCK APNT.
Get in touch with your device, license type, and term length, and we’ll confirm the right plan and provide a tailored quote. For multi-year terms, larger deployments, or platforms where you’re not sure which license applies, don’t hesitate to ask; we’re here to help you get it right the first time. Either complete the form or email hello@groundcontrol.com, and we’ll respond within one working day.