Topic: Iridium
How RockSTARs Are Being Used to Keep Remote Personnel Safe
Most of us are familiar with the limitations of terrestrial networks. However, for those working as a field engineer or as part of an expedition team; who have been a competitor in a yacht race or taken part in military training; you’ll also know how important it is to overcome this limitation. Cellular connectivity only covers 15% of the globe and there are many reasons why someone may take the roads less travelled. For the purpose of this blog, the term remote personnel refers to anyone travelling outside cellular coverage regularly, or for an extended period of time – be that for work or leisure.
For both safety and well-being, it’s essential that remote personnel have access to two-way communication that functions both in and out of cellular range. Determining a tracking and communication plan will reduce the chance of accidents and ensure swift response times in the case of an emergency; and by encouraging the use of two-way notifications and alerts, deliver peace of mind. This is where Ground Control’s RockSTAR device can help.
Introducing the RockSTAR
The RockSTAR is a lightweight, rugged, handheld device that can be used to send and receive short messages (like SMS and short emails) and track GPS location, through the Iridium satellite network and back to Earth. Simply, if the unit has a clear view of the sky, it’ll deliver two-way communications and virtually real-time tracking, anywhere and everywhere.
How do RockSTAR devices work?
Each RockSTAR unit houses an Iridium 9602 modem. This modem allows the device to leverage the Iridium Satellite network – using the ‘short burst data’ (SBD) service, to support location and messaging data transmission.
The RockSTAR can be set to ‘wake up’ and transmit your location anywhere between 15 seconds and once a day. It’ll obtain a position using the GPS satellite network, and then transmit that position back to Ground Control HQ using the Iridium satellite network. In 1-2 seconds, the position can then be visualised on our easy-to-use web-based system or automatically set up to relay this information direct to your application.
For example, if you’re a field technician working in a remote area, location data can be sent direct to whichever security tracking application your employer is using. What’s more, RockSTAR units have a great battery life. Even transmitting location data every 15 minutes, a device will last 3 weeks between charges.
In addition to SBD being relatively low cost, there are no annual contracts, delivering flexibility for those who only require a satellite device like the RockSTAR for a specific trip or project. In short, if you or your team don’t need to use a device for a month or more, there won’t be any monthly fee, simply pay ‘per month, per device’.
Additional RockSTAR features
Designed and built in the UK, the RockSTAR satellite device has also evolved throughout the years to better meet customer needs. The form factor has noticeably contracted, with the current device standing at just 144mm; other developments have helped create a feature-packed handheld unit.
RockSTAR units can be used to send and receive short messages, including SMS and short emails to nominated groups. Groups are created and amended in the device’s settings and can include mobile phone numbers, email addresses and servers. Using the device itself, you can send pre-set messages or free text; the RockSTAR can also be paired with a mobile or tablet via bluetooth, enabling truly global two-way communications.
The RockSTAR unit is configured with a number of alert options; for full details please see our article on RockSTAR alerts. All six device buttons can be activated by a user in gloves and the main SOS function is initiated via the button at the bottom of the device. When pressed, the unit immediately transmits your location and pre-set emergency message to those nominated within the device’s first-responder group.
The RockSTAR unit can also be used for waypointing, so key points of interest or concern (in the case of wildland firefighting) can be marked while you’re out in the field, and then viewed on our web-based system.
Common RockSTAR applications
Because the RockSTAR device is ruggedized and waterproof, with a great battery life, the applications are vast. Our RockSTAR customers aren’t just worldwide, they’re travelling by land, air and sea. Operating in some of the most remote and harsh environments on Earth. To demonstrate this range, we’ve collated some of the most common remote personnel use cases supported by our RockSTAR devices today.
MILITARY EXERCISE MONITORING
Military training exercises are often held in remote locations, under challenging conditions. This can place significant strain on soldiers, thus tracking services are often employed for peace of mind and if needed, timely, mission-critical response. Ground Control worked in partnership with JCSys to tailor the RockSTAR hardware and firmware to meet the very specific and stringent requirements of the UK’s Ministry of Defence. The result? A compact and durable device able to track soldiers in all weather and military attire, and pair with BLE heart rate monitors. Additionally, developer-friendly APIs meant JCSys were able to securely receive telemetry data and add the required context to support a safe training environment.
TRACKING ANTARCTIC EXPLORERS & RESEARCHERS
RockSTAR devices are ideal for use in extreme environments where wifi or cellular coverage isn’t widely available. As well as being waterproof, units can operate in temperatures between -30 to 60 degrees Celsius and be operated by users in gloves. What’s more, currently Iridium is the only network able to offer truly global coverage – including both poles. We’re proud to have supported both researchers and explorers on multiple Antarctic trips, and our RockSTAR devices have even been used to monitor icebergs across Northern Canada.
SUPPORTING RURAL-BASED POLICE OFFICERS
It is the duty of all law enforcement to “protect life and property through the enforcement of laws and regulations”. This includes serving those in rural-based communities, where cellular coverage may not be available, or intermittent. As all data to and from RockSTAR units can be encrypted up to AES-256 standards, the RockSTAR can be a great, relatively inexpensive solution for two-way communications. We’ve worked with various police units and law enforcement rangers, ensuring personnel maintain connected and tracked at all times.
SAFEGUARDING REMOTE MEDICAL WORKERS
It’s essential that when medical personnel are caring for patients in remote areas, they can be reliably tracked and monitored. To ensure their safety, devices which are lightweight and discreet, with a long battery life are essential. Many security firms have specific applications for remote and lone worker safety, that can be utilised alongside devices such as the RockSTAR to provide a complete, secure solution. We have worked with many companies, creating/enabling specific alert criteria via our RockSTAR devices, even simplifying our menu to ensure it’s as easy as possible for users to access key functions.
What sets the RockSTAR apart from other satellite devices?
Flexible, Secure APIs
We understand many customers will have their own remote worker and/or security applications – so we make getting that data easy. All data to and from the unit can be encrypted up to AES-256 standards, but we’re still able to give customers access to some of the lowest lines of code. This ensures all data transmissions are available in the required format, without compromising security.
Truly Ruggedized
The RockSTAR has been built to withstand the most challenging environments. Tried and tested everyday, everywhere from the Antarctic to the Australian desert, the Pacific Ocean to Rocky Mountains in North America. The device has a number of certifications including FCC and CE MIL-810 F/G for ruggedness, and is waterproof to IP-67.
Customization Opportunities
As manufacturers we have the flexibility to customise the device on larger orders. These ensure the RockSTAR is the best fit for our client’s project. They also enrich the device’s functionality for future users. For example, when working with JCSys, to better safeguard soldiers in the UK, RockSTARs were adapted to disable switch off without a PIN code.
GPS Tracking for Teams
Whether you and your team have one RockSTAR or 1,000, Ground Control’s easy-to-use web platform simplifies device management. From the platform, you can track all of your field workers’ positions simultaneously, both in real-time and across set periods of time.
Users can divide devices into relevant groups and set up multiple platform users with differing permissions. For example, some team members may only need to ‘view’ RockSTAR positions, while others could be allowed to send commands and configure devices in the field.
Within the platform users are also able to:
- Add line rental and credits
- Monitor alerts from all devices
- Set up relevant geofences, ensuring teams receive early warning if a device enters/exits specified areas.
If you’re interested in learning more about the RockSTAR device and how units are supporting remote personnel with ubiquitous connectivity, take a look at our related content: RockSTAR Alerts | Case study – RockSTAR Provides Vital Tracking Telemetry for Soldiers and Ultra Runners | RockSTAR Used in Iridium Certus Demo.
Likewise, if you have any queries you’d like to discuss with our team, simply fill in the contact form below.
Got questions?
Ground Control’s RockSTAR device helps deliver peace of mind to anyone working or travelling within remote locations – unit’s have literally saved lives. From security personnel to armed forces, humanitarian aid workers to aviators, the RockSTAR might be just what you need.
For more information on how we can help solve your remote communication challenges and better safeguard you and your team, fill in the form and we’ll match your enquiry with one of our experts.
5 Ways Satellite IoT Can Solve Renewables’ Connectivity Challenges
The renewables industry is growing. The operations required to generate power are expanding and the number of sites in remote on- and offshore areas is increasing.
In late 2022, analysts at McKinsey estimated that in less than ten years, global renewable electricity capacity will rise more than 80% from 2020 levels to more than 5,022 gigawatts (source). Further, McKinsey predicts that of this growth, two thirds will be generated by wind and solar power – an increase of 150%. By 2035, it estimates that renewables will generate 60% of the world’s electricity.
While the demand for renewable energy is growing rapidly, there are a number of challenges faced by the industry, from connectivity to security. It’s critically important that remote industrial IoT devices are connected to operations at the head office, as without this data, power outages could occur without real-time knowledge, maintenance monitoring cannot be anything but reactive, and performance could fall short of potential optimized output.
Satellite IoT communications and monitoring can solve these challenges. And it’s genuinely not as expensive as you might think…
CHALLENGE 1 – Connectivity for remote sites
The solution – RockBLOCK Plus
Renewable energy generation sites for hydro, wind and solar farms can often be in remote and even hostile locations. With terrestrial networks only covering 15% of the Earth’s surface (or 50% of the available landmass), and focused on highly populated and urban areas, renewables sites are often out of reach of cellular and fibre connectivity.
There are numerous challenges in providing data backhaul from such remote sites, whether they’re in the development or deployment stages. Unconnected sites are siloed and leave operators unable to reach their assets unless deploying a lone worker to site – with the safety, time delays and additional costs all key considerations.
Ground Control has deployed full end-to-end solutions for renewable providers to retrieve their data from the field in over 100 countries, recommending the best solution for their operational needs. For remote site data retrieval, the RockBLOCK Plus is rugged and waterproof – ideal for remote and exposed sites – and is designed specifically to transmit sensor data from IoT applications. RockBLOCK Plus sends and receives short messages from anywhere on Earth with a view of the sky, via Iridium SBD, as frequently as every 10 seconds, making the device ideal for remote performance monitoring and pre-empting maintenance requirements.
CHALLENGE 2 – Combining distributed site data
The solution – Cloudloop
To enable renewable energy providers to balance supply and demand on the power grid, they must determine how much renewable energy is being generated at any given time. This can be challenging and even impossible to achieve without the use of satellite communication due to the size, scale and remote locations of renewable energy resources.
Cloudloop is Ground Control’s cloud-based software platform for subscription and device management. The software enables renewable providers to combine multiple and widely distributed sensor data into a singular entity to provide a complete visualisation of their energy-generating operations.
All satellite device activations and deactivations, airtime management and troubleshooting can be achieved remotely via the Cloudloop platform. Monitoring in real-time, historical data usage and alerts enable proactive cost management, with diagnostics reporting significantly reducing field maintenance costs, regardless of the scale or distribution of the data loggers.
CHALLENGE 3 – Security and cybercrime
The solution – SCADASat
The Colonial Pipeline hack in the USA proved beyond doubt that the renewables industry is at risk of cyber attacks, yet a key data transfer requirement exists between on-site RTUs and SCADA systems to extract mission-critical sensor data, however remote, to prevent and mitigate outages and disruption to energy supply.
Some satellite networks have the advantage of not needing any publicly available terrestrial infrastructure in order to extract data from RTUs. So if wind farms, reservoirs or solar sites don’t receive reliable cellular coverage, satellite is the best option, either as primary or failover. For maximum data security, the SCADASat by TSAT is a narrowband private satellite network that avoids utilising the internet and is the optimally secure solution for remote monitoring, controlling, and surveillance of renewable energy grids.
SCADASat enables renewable providers to cost-effectively and reliably transmit remote SCADA, telemetry and M2M data – all in a secure network. The platform is highly scalable with low operating costs compared to the new installation and maintenance of fibre connectivity. It is compatible with both IP and legacy serial devices and operates independently from terrestrial communications systems, both complementing and offering an alternative solution to terrestrial networks, ensuring transmission at all times.
CHALLENGE 4 – Energy wastage
The solution – RockREMOTE Rugged
Wind farms are a good example of where the power generated could become surplus and potentially wasted. The nature of these remote and expansive sites presents a challenge for renewable energy providers. They must be efficiently managed and monitored to ensure maximum energy utilisation and minimum energy wastage – which is otherwise costly to energy providers.
Cloud-based remote monitoring solutions are therefore essential to help operators monitor multiple wind farm locations at any one time, collecting all, or exceptional data, on wind turbine speed, torque, power, wind speed, wind direction and so on.
RockREMOTE Rugged is a reliable solution for remote IoT challenges. It securely connects remote IoT assets using IP or message-based protocols and provides diverse connectivity through Iridium Satellite or LTE networks. The device is powered by a sophisticated Linux-based operating system that offers containerised hosting for edge-computing applications.
For renewable energy sites, this means complete visibility and control – even if assets are spread over a wide area. The RockREMOTE Rugged solution extends the reach of telemetry applications and enables real-time reporting on power generation to prevent saturation and wastage.
CHALLENGE 5 – Costly data retrieval
The solution – Cobham EXPLORER 540
We know that many renewable energy sites are located in remote areas. Where cellular and fibre connectivity already exists, this will be the most cost-effective option to retrieve sensor data. However, The US Department of Transportation put the average cost of laying new fibre at $27,000 per mile. Further to the costly installation, there’s the ongoing costs to consider with an experienced Field Engineer costing, on average, $68,132 per year (hardware lifetime is typically around 10 years). Utilising remote satellite IoT communication and monitoring solutions mitigates this cost almost entirely as the terminals are remotely managed.
As the world’s first IoT Pro terminal designed to operate on both Viasat Satellite network and cellular 2G/3G/LTE networks, the Cobham Explorer 540 delivers always-available connectivity for critical monitoring and control applications where cellular and fiber are out of reach.
The IoT Pro Service uses Viasat to provide a reliable, global, two-way IP data service. It’s designed to connect monitoring and control applications in remote, unmanned locations, providing visibility and management of those assets. By combining IoT Pro with cellular connectivity in the same terminal, the Explorer 540 gives users the opportunity to choose the best carrier for any location, or to switch seamlessly between cellular and satellite using lowest cost routing logic.
Here, now and the future
Satellite-powered communication and monitoring solutions equip renewable energy providers with multiple ways to overcome the challenges of remote device monitoring, cyber security, power storage, and combining distributed site data.
A suite of satellite-based solutions from Ground Control enables the renewables industry to harness the efficiencies of satellite communication to advance troubleshooting and improve response times, implement predictive maintenance monitoring, automate manual tasks, and optimize energy utilization. With 60% of the world’s energy anticipated to be renewable within the next 12 years, the demand for satellite connectivity is only set to increase.
Ground Control is very well placed to support renewables connectivity, as it’s our mission to make sure data reaches its destination by the most reliable and cost-effective means possible. Whether using cellular or satellite connectivity, Ground Control can recommend the best solutions, airtime and services.
Would you like to know more?
If you’d like some impartial, expert advice on the best solution for your renewables connectivity challenge, please call or email us, or complete the form, and we’ll be happy to help.
We’re not invested in selling you a specific product or connections, just the best solution for your needs. Europe, Oceania, Asia and Africa: +44 (0) 1452 751940; North and South America: 800 773 7168.
How Iridium Messaging Transport (IMT) opens up new IoT possibilities
Iridium Messaging Transport (IMT) was launched on 21st December 2022, and in Iridium’s own words, it’s “a two-way cloud-native networked data service optimized for use over Iridium Certus and designed to make it easier to add satellite connections to existing or new IoT solutions. IMT provides an IP data transport service unique to the Iridium network, designed for small-to-moderate-sized messages supporting satellite IoT applications.”
So what does this mean for the often overlooked, but nonetheless critical world of small-to-moderate-sized IoT messages?
For those of you wanting to reliably send/receive small amounts of data from anywhere on the planet, the only truly tried and tested solution is Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) that enables you to send/receive messages up to around 300 bytes (yes, bytes)!
In general, describing anything as being small-to-moderately sized is not something to shout about. But in the world of IoT and M2M it’s not how big your payload is, it’s what you do with it…
Constraint breeds innovation — if you’ve only got 300 bytes to play with, you start to think creatively and use all sorts of tricks and techniques to cram as much information in as you can! There’s countless companies using SBD to do incredibly cool things (hello, ybtracking.com).
However there’s a limit — no matter how much you try, you cannot squeeze a photograph into an SBD message; nor can you squish in a whole weather GRIB file (trust me, I’ve spent the last 10 years trying)!
We’re gonna need a bigger boat…. enter stage left: Iridium Certus.
The Iridium Certus 100 service is the next-size-up for people looking to send/receive larger volumes of data via satellite. There are differences beyond speed and data limitations: Certus 100 provides a full-blown IP-connection and SBD is Message-based; not to mention the larger form-factor and antenna requirements, and cost etc.
What’s a satellite IP connection anyway? Simply put, it’s a full-on (albeit very slow) Internet connection, just like the one you’re using right now. Except instead of being a super-fast, fibre-optic, giga-bit connection, it’s a measly 88 Kbps — yes, there’s our old friend bytes again.
(Faster Iridium Certus service classes are available, up to a heady 700 Kbps using Certus 700 — but the entry-level Certus 100 service is best suited for IoT applications).
And Message-based? To save on words, it’s essentially an SMS text message you’d send from your mobile phone. You want to send “Hello World” and that’s all you send — there’s no superfluous headers, handshakes or protocol bloat (I’m looking at you, Mr IP Connection).
Analogy: Message-based communications is like calling up a friend and leaving a message on their answerphone; once they’ve listened to your message; to reply they call you back and leave you an answerphone message.
While this could be considered a crude form of two-way communication; it lacks the dynamism, flexibility and spontaneity of a telephone call — where both parties can freely communicate, interrupt without delay (i.e. IP Connection-based).
So to recap: Iridium Certus is faster and capable of sending loads more data (compared to the minuscule 300 bytes that SBD offers) — the kicker however is you have to contend with talking proper big-boy TCP/IP; this means latency, two-way handshakes, retries and failed transmissions.
One thing that you can be certain of: if you’re sending data from the middle-of-nowhere, up into space, to a satellite, back down to earth and then onto the Internet; and back again — there’s going to be latency and packet-loss. This is true of the Internet connection you’re using now, but this all happens in the background and you never notice anything — however, when you’re on a very slow connection (and you’re paying for every byte you send and how long you’re connected) — you’ll soon notice!
So the solution? Use a Message-based service, where you just pay for the actual payload that you send and only when it’s successfully transmitted. Er, what, like SBD? Yes exactly.
Enter stage right: Iridium Certus Message Transport (IMT).
IMT is the best of both worlds — Message-based service utilizing Iridium Certus 100 to facilitate, drum-roll please… sending/receiving messages up to:
One-hundred-thousand-bytes (yes, 100,000 bytes)!
(Finally, something about which those with a small-to-moderate-sized payload can rejoice)!
This is a massive increase in message size, finally making it feasible to send larger amounts of data from anywhere on the planet. You’re not going to be able to browse the Internet or stream Netflix — but your remotely deployed IoT application, monitoring some hypothetical oil and gas pipeline will now be able to send more data. Which in turn might facilitate additional sensor readings, greater data resolution or even low-res photographs if it detects suspicious activity — the sky’s the limit!
IMT is pretty cost-effective, you’re only charged for the data you send: price plans start from 25 USD/month, and typical data usage costs 10 USD/MB.
From SBD to IMT
The pathway to IMT for existing SBD applications (that use something like Ground Control’s RockBLOCK) is pretty straightforward.
As mentioned earlier, SBD and Certus 100 are not like-for-like comparable — Certus 100 is bigger, more expensive, requires more power and a bulkier antenna compared to its short-burst brethren (although both are still considered microscopic compared something like VSAT).
So if you’re building an autonomous-flying plane for delivering medicine across Africa (hello, Zipline) — you’ll probably want to stick with SBD. However, if your remote IoT application is not as constrained, IMT might just be the thing you’ve always longed for.
Engineers integrate with SBD by sending simple AT commands via a serial interface — however, in contrast, IMT is not directly exposed by default on Certus 100 terminals. It’s up to the individual terminal manufacturers to decide if/how they want to expose it.
At time of writing, only two manufacturers had IMT solutions ready for their terminals. And Ground Control is one of them: both the original RockREMOTE and the new RockREMOTE Rugged are IMT-ready.
RockREMOTE, utilizing our IoT Gateway, exposes IMT messaging through the lingua-franca of the IoT industry – MQTT. The proposition is simple: talk MQTT in the field (e.g. from your microprocessor, PLC, Arduino or RPi) to the RockREMOTE and your message will be magically whisked off (via space) and arrive at their Cloud MQTT broker ready to be consumed by your application/ dashboard — effectively end-to-end MQTT.
So from an integration perspective, while it’s not quite a drop-in for SBD — it’s not far from it. By using an industry standard MQTT interface, it’s possible to send/receive messages with just a few lines of code.
Let’s just replace all existing IP connections with IMT – simple, right?!
Alas, it’s not necessarily that straightforward.
Imagine you’re coming at IMT from an existing IP connection-based solution; maybe you’re already using Viasat IoT Pro or maybe you’re moving to Satellite IoT from the world of Cellular IoT.
The good news is, if you’re already using MQTT, the move is likely to be a piece-of-cake with a device like the RockREMOTE. All you’ll need to do is update the destination of your MQTT broker to point to the RockREMOTE.
If you’re using something like HTTP GET/POST or FTP — it’s pretty simple to take the data you would have sent via these means and package it up to send via MQTT instead. One of the great things about MQTT is that there’s no prescribed message format — send Text, Binary, JSON or Protobufs etc.
Finally, what about if you’re doing something more complex, for example using another application or protocol that expects an interactive two-way IP connection (e.g. SSH, SFTP, TCP/IP sockets, Web browsing etc)?
In short, IMT isn’t going to work for you. Message-based communication is perfect for asynchronous communication – fire-and-forget — it isn’t suitable for scenarios that require synchronous communication — (see again the answerphone analogy).
Unfortunately, if you have to use this type of synchronous communication; your only option will be to continue to use an IP Connection.
But there’s a glimmer of hope. Some devices, like the RockREMOTE, are able to support both message-based communication (using IMT) as well as IP connection — so you have the flexibility to use either methods (or indeed, both), depending on the type of communication you want to undertake.
Would you like to know more?
Whether you’re an engineer and want to talk to Dan (or someone like him!), or you’re interested in learning more about IMT, the IoT Gateway, or the RockREMOTE, please call or email us, or complete the form, and we’ll make sure you’re connected.
Introducing Iridium Messaging Transport (IMT)
Taking full advantage of IMT, the latest Iridium network service evolution, Ground Control is proud to announce the development of a new Satellite IoT delivery network. This ultra-efficient solution is designed to meet the needs of IoT applications that require transmission of larger data payloads from very remote locations.
What is Iridium Messaging Transport (IMT)?
The new IMT service from Iridium is designed for IoT / M2M applications, and joins several other satellite airtime services in this space. So what makes IMT different?
| Iridium SBD | Viasat IoT Nano (IDP) | IMT | Iridium Certus 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connection Type | Message Based | Message Based | Message Based | IP Based |
| Data Volume / Speed | 270 / 340 bytes per Message | 10 KB per Message | 100 KB per Message | 22 / 88 Kbps |
| Satellite Orbit | Low Earth Orbit (LEO) | Geostationery (GEO) | Low Earth Orbit (LEO) | Low Earth Orbit (LEO) |
| Latency | Very Low | Low | Very Low | Very Low |
| Cost at 1,000 Bytes Per Month | $10.50 | $8.75 | $17.50 | $25.00 |
| Cost at 10 KB Per Month | $21.00 | $23.75 | $21.00 | $25.20 |
| Cost at 25 KB Per Month | $36.80 | $36.25 | $21.00 | $25.50 |
| Cost at 100 KB Per Month | $89.30 | $90.00 | $30.00 | $26.90 |
| Power Usage During Transmit | 0.8 W | 750 mW | 400 mW | 3.5 W |
This table compares these satellite services to each other, not to the broader ecosystem of connectivity options.
Message Based vs IP Based
The simplest distinction between these two means of communication is that message-based services send discrete data packets at intervals determined by the owner / operator; IP-based services can send and receive data continuously. An advantage of IP-based connections is that many, particularly legacy, applications, use TCP/IP protocols, and so data can pass seamlessly between different systems. The major benefit of utilising message-based connections is that they are far lower cost, because you’re only billed for the data payload and not for any communication overhead (e.g. TCP).
Connection Speeds
Iridium already has a message-based airtime service called Short Burst Data, or SBD; Inmarsat has a similar service called IDP (IsatData Pro) – now known as Viasat IoT Nano. Both are designed for very small amounts of data: environmental monitoring and asset tracking for example.
Iridium introduced Certus 100 which offers the ability to send more data, more frequently, and is ideal for legacy installations and telemetry streaming applications.
IMT sits in between these two services; with the ability to send 100 KB per message, far more data can be transmitted than via the SBD or IDP services, but because it’s message-based, it remains a lower cost solution than Certus 100. If you’re sending over 10KB of data per month, it’s also lower cost than SBD or IDP.
Cost
In our assessment, SBD or IDP is lower cost if you’re sending less than 7-10 KB of data per month. IMT via the 9704 module is best if you’re sending up to 55-60 KB of data per month, and IMT via the 9770 module is most economical if you’re sending over 60 KB of data per month.
This is a little over-simplified, and doesn’t take into account commitment, pools, hardware cost, power consumption, physical size, antennas etc., but serves as a guide.
Power Usage
A device leveraging the IMT service will generally use less power than a device using Certus 100, because the data is sent and received on demand, and data packets can be optimized. However, there are two modules that can access IMT, and they have very different power requirements. The 9770 module leverages both Certus 100 and IMT, whereas the new 9704 module only accesses IMT. This has enabled Iridium’s engineers to optimize the 9704 for extremely low power use, better even than IDP and SBD.
Which Devices Utilize IMT?
Ground Control’s RockREMOTE devices are based around the 9770 module, making them extremely versatile; they can access IMT and Certus 100 (and in some cases, also cellular). Users configure the device to use the airtime that is most economical for their particular use case; Ground Control will consult and assist with this exercise if needed.
Devices Using the Iridium 9704 Module
The RockBLOCK 9704, RockBLOCK Pro and Pro OEM devices are based around the 9704 module; for data volumes between 10-50 KB per month, they’re extremely cost effective and ideal for very low power applications.
When Would You Use IMT?
| Iridium SBD | Viasat IoT Nano (IDP) | IMT | Iridium Certus 100 | Viasat IoT Pro (BGAN M2M) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great For | Very small amounts of data from individual sensors | Very small amounts of data from individual sensors | IoT applications with larger data transmission requirements | Fixed or mobile IoT applications which require IP connection | Fixed IoT applications with larger amounts of data to transfer via an IP connection |
| Examples | Small amounts of telemetry data | Small amounts of telemetry data | Larger amounts of telemetry data; compressed images | Connected M2M protocols e.g. Modbus RTU, WITS DPN3 | Connected M2M protocols e.g. Modbus RTU, WITS DPN3 |
| Use Cases | SCADA, Agritech, Basic asset tracking | SCADA, Agritech, Basic asset tracking | Remote camera traps preventing poaching / trespassing; Remote surveillance capabilities for on-the-move assets | Visibility and control of assets spread over a wide area; Extending the reach of telemetry applications | Visibility and control of assets spread over a wide area; Extending the reach of telemetry applications |
How Does Ground Control’s Satellite IoT Delivery Network Work?
The IoT delivery network is designed to deliver large message payloads for a wide range of IoT applications in a highly cost effective way. It leverages the new IMT satellite service, the RockREMOTE or RockREMOTE Rugged terminals, and the MQTT messaging transport.
It provides an end-to-end solution comprised of:
- An MQTT application deployed on the RockREMOTE or RockREMOTE Rugged terminal; this provides the interface for your remote application to submit and receive data payloads
- The Iridium IMT satellite service
- An MQTT server application, delivered via Ground Control’s Cloudloop platform, which enables your IoT service application to submit and receive data payloads.
A 2021 research paper found that 75% of businesses experienced connectivity challenges when trialing IoT projects, ranging from coverage to interoperability to cost. Ground Control’s IoT Gateway is designed to address each of these challenges, providing global coverage, industry standard interfaces, and cost efficiency.
What is MQTT?
MQTT is a messaging protocol – a structured way for applications to exchange payloads of data between applications – designed for IoT. TCP / IP is another messaging (or communication) protocol, used to connect network devices on the internet, and in private computer networks.
MQTT was designed specifically for IoT, where the data transmission requirements are usually small, and the microcontrollers that host the code are also very small (physically and in terms of the amount of instructions they can support). So MQTT is very lightweight and efficient.
Another advantage of MQTT is that it has small message headers; this is the initial portion of a data packet, and contains control information such as addressing and version. In IP messaging protocols this is (relatively speaking) quite a large amount of information which makes sending data via IP more resource intensive. MQTT’s small message headers ensure that the network bandwidth is optimised.
It has become the industry standard for newer IoT projects because of its many advantages, including reliable message delivery, security, and scalability.
For more information on MQTT, visit https://mqtt.org/.
Talk to us about IMT
If you have an IoT connectivity challenge which satellite can solve, and you’d like expert, impartial advice on the best airtime and delivery network for your requirements, email or call us, or complete the form.
We’ve been delivering satellite and cellular connectivity services for over 20 years, and our partnerships with leading satellite operators means we can offer great pricing and a robust, reliable service, in addition to our commitment to delivering innovative, customer-driven data and device management solutions.
How RockBLOCKs Can Transform IoT Projects With Global Connectivity
The Internet of Things (IoT) has been transforming global industry and driving digitalisation for some years now. Simply, IoT describes connecting any device to other connected devices and the internet, or other communications networks. This allows all devices to collect and share data about their environment and how they are used; and it is this data that can deliver true insight.
But this value is wholly reliant on reliable connectivity. After all, for data to enable proactive, smarter decisions, that data first needs to be delivered, for example, from sensor to HQ. In addition, fragmented data and gaps can give a wildly inaccurate picture and cellular connectivity only covers 15% of the globe. This is where Ground Control’s RockBLOCK suite can help.
Introducing the RockBLOCK
RockBLOCKs are transceivers that you can use to send and receive short serial messages, through the Iridium satellite network and back to Earth. They deliver plug-and-play satellite communication, meaning if you have a clear view of the sky, your solution / project stays connected.
How do RockBLOCKs work?
Leveraging the Iridium Satellite network – specifically, ‘short burst data’ (SBD) – RockBLOCKs are connected to a sensor and send this data to 1 of 66 satellites within the Iridium constellation. The satellite then relays this data through the constellation until it’s within transmission distance of Iridium’s ground stations (this takes fractions of a second!). Finally this data can be viewed either in our web portal, or set up to automatically relay this information to email, several email addresses or direct to a web service.
Although SBD only equates to message sizes around 340 bytes up and 270 bytes down, it’s ideal for many IoT applications, including weather balloons, data buoys, UAVs and more. It’s also relatively low cost, and can be purchased on a pay-as-you-go basis, or contracted, which delivers flexibility for developers and educators while testing.
RockBLOCK 9602
RockBLOCK is essentially a development board for the Iridium satellite modem. In the case of the 9602, it hosts the 9602 modem, provides it with an antenna, its power supply requirements and exposes the modem’s serial interface via a breakout connector.
Often used by hobbyists and scientists, it can support many applications, from meteorological sensing, through to preventing fires in remote locations. All you need to get up and running is 5 volts DC, a controller that speaks serial and a clear view of the sky.
RockBLOCK 9603
RockBLOCK 9603 is almost half the size of its predecessor and was designed especially for product developers and system integrators used to using smaller equipment for small enclosures.
It hosts a 9603 Iridium satellite modem, has a small form factor Molex connector to link the serial, power, and signalling lines to your controller. This may be slightly harder for developers than the 0.1″ dot pitch header used on the standard RockBLOCK, but we do also have USB serial cables which include the mating molex connector on the other side.
RockBLOCK Plus
RockBLOCK Plus is a waterproof and ruggedized version of the RockBLOCK 9602, with 9-30v power input and RS-232 data link.
It’s designed to transmit sensor data from IoT applications, and is being used in forestry, preventing illegal deforestation and creating alerts for extreme temperature changes; in environmental applications, monitoring earth movement and water levels to provide early warning of landslides and flood risks. It’s also deployed as part of Thailand’s tsunami detection system, with the potential to save many, many lives.
Antenna options – Patch vs SMA
Our RockBLOCK devices include a patch antenna which is suitable for applications where the RockBLOCK can ‘see’ the sky; for example, under plastic but close to the top of the enclosure. However, for applications where the RockBLOCK needs to be situated deep within an enclosure or have a metal barrier between it and the sky, both the 9602 and 9603 have an SMA connector allows the attachment of an external antenna.
Common RockBLOCK projects
Because the RockBLOCK is a small, low cost, low power transceiver, the applications are vast. We work with many partners to bring truly innovative, end-to-end solutions to life. We often partner with those responsible for building the sensors the RockBLOCKs then connect to. To give you an idea and possibly inspire your next project, we’ve collated below some of the most common use cases supported by our RockBLOCK products today.
Tsunami early warning system
When it comes to early warning systems and critical communications networks, organisations need to utilise satellite connectivity, both for the coverage requirements and network reliability. Currently the RockBLOCK Plus is installed across Thailand, empowering their Tsunami early warning system, with ubiquitous, reliable connectivity. The system continually monitors for Tsunami warning indicators, and upon detection – as the RockBLOCK supports two-way communication – it triggers an audible alarm.
Automated landslide monitoring
To reduce the impact of hazardous landslides, enabling proactive, preventative measures to be taken, near real-time monitoring is essential. The RockBLOCK assists regular monitoring of landslide activity with always on connectivity, sending data of high spatiotemporal resolution and centimetre-level accuracy for long-term deployments. Measuring in this way aids in early warning information and limits the use of invasive and expensive drilling, the more traditional landslide monitoring technique.
Environmental monitoring and reporting
Blocked, overflowing systems can cause flooding, erosion, turbidity, storm and sanitary sewer system overflow, and infrastructure damage. Combining data sent via RockBLOCKs within Powered Telemetry Modules (PTM), companies are able to monitor and forecast these events. Utilising a mixture of time lapse cameras, water level gauges, rain gauges, and weather gauges, companies are able to predict where issues may occur and which areas are most at risk, and implement proactive, preventative measures.
Drifting data buoys
Generally, the main purpose of drifting buoys is to measure ocean currents and sea temperatures, the data of which is then transmitted back to research labs on the mainland for analysis. We work with MakerBuoy, who create drifter buoys for individuals and hobbyists to throw into the ocean and retrieve oceanic data; for example, air and water temperature, wind speeds etc. The data retrieved provides vital intelligence for weather and climate models and ultimately aids better understanding of ocean behaviour and intensity forecasting. As the RockBLOCK benefits from pole-to-pole coverage via the Iridium satellite network, buoys carrying a RockBLOCK can transmit this data back to hobbyists, researchers and meteorological organisations for analysis, from anywhere on earth.
Drone connectivity
The applications for drone usage continue to grow: medicine delivery, crop spraying, seed drops, surveillance, meteorology, goods transportation – the list goes on. As many of these tasks take drones into areas with limited or no cellular coverage, satellite connectivity is essential to ensure that, when the drone is Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), the drone can still receive commands from the operator.
Ground Control supports UAV and Drone operators with critical Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) communications to allow constant connectivity with minimal latency to airborne drones. We use Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) to allow small strings of data to be sent from a base of operations to the field, providing flight programs, course alterations and other instructions in real time.
Most recently, we’re proud to have had our RockBLOCKs play an important role in the delivery of critical medical care via drone through our partnership with Skylift.
Preventing illegal deforestation
Illegal extraction activities are a significant threat to rainforests and natural resources more generally. With the RockBLOCK, monitoring systems within a rainforest can act as watchdogs. Once certain markers are detected, an alert can be sent and the data analysed by NGOs and governments. If they feel there is an imminent threat, the appropriate authorities can then be notified.
Wildlife tracking
Africa is home to some of the world’s best-known and most iconic wildlife. However, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) reports that due to illegal poaching, 43% of the lion population has been lost in the last 20 years.
One of our partners is responsible for creating tracking collars for lions, most notably, in Namibia. Each collar houses a RockBLOCK device, ensuring rangers are able to reliably and effectively track pride movements and ultimately, more effectively protect them.
Off-grid fire prevention system
Regular home fire safety equipment (alarms and extinguishers) rely on a fire to have already entered the premises or someone to be home to raise the alarm. Off-grid fire prevention systems can protect properties and communities, using the data collated to predict and detect wildfires. RockBLOCKs can ensure data is sent from sensors in near real-time and as the RockBLOCK supports two-way communications, once certain thresholds are met, for example significant increase in temperature, a command can be sent back to the system to trigger high-pressure sprinkler systems.
Interest piqued?
Our RockBLOCK product suite is endlessly being used to create really clever, inspiring projects we’d not even thought of and a huge part of this is due to our partners.
If you are interested in learning more about any of the RockBLOCK suite, or partnering with Ground Control on an end-to-end solution, simply fill in the contact form below.
Ground Control Recognized as Top 10 Oil & Gas Solution Provider
We’re delighted to announce that Ground Control has been recognised as one of the Top 10 Oil & Gas Solution Providers in 2022.
We have always taken pride in being a partner that truly understands both ends of data communications. Taking ownership of the overall solution and working with our customers to identify not just required volume and frequency of data transmission, but what device compatibility is required and how the data is to be used; to achieve operational goals. We have been creating and delivering advanced connectivity solutions to the Oil & Gas industry for over 20 years.
Solutions for the Oil & Gas sector
We deliver remote connectivity solutions to power Oil & Gas IIoT applications and support global, off-grid operations. Simply put, our solutions help to deliver more reliable data, better safety, cost management and enhanced security.
Popular use cases include remote monitoring and control, pipeline management, asset tracking and lone worker enablement and safety; and facilitating each, is robust, advanced connectivity.
The real value of connectivity
From asset management through to remote performance monitoring and maintenance, the IIoT ecosystem is delivering efficiencies and productivity to meet the demands of an ever-evolving energy landscape.
McKinsey & Company project that advanced connectivity to optimise drilling and production throughput and improve maintenance and field operations, could add $250 billion to the industry’s upstream operations by 2030.
This focus on connectivity, as opposed to IIoT more generally, is key. Despite the myriad of measurable benefits IIoT offers, everything will fall at the first hurdle if connectivity isn’t addressed as a priority. Data enables smarter and faster decisions, but data gaps and interruptions can lead to poor, costly business decisions. To truly harness the value of digitalisation in the field, operators must maintain near real-time, reliable data delivery from all assets within the Oil & Gas supply chain, at all times.
Given the often hostile and remote nature of the environments in which Oil & Gas plants are situated, terrestrial connectivity is not always available, nor reliable. This is where Ground Control really adds value. Using cellular and satellite networks, we specialise in connecting hard-to-reach people, machines and things.
Introducing Iridium Certus® 100
Ideal for IoT and M2M applications, the Iridium Certus® 100 service is facilitated by Iridium’s constellation of 66 LEO satellites. Providing pole-to-pole coverage, with the benefit of lower latency.
Offering IP data speeds of up to 88 Kbps, antennas can be small and lightweight, and do not have to be pointed to pick up Iridium satellites. This enables faultless connectivity to be achieved – even in mountainous or wooded areas.
The Certus-Enabled RockREMOTE
Designed for Industrial IoT, the RockREMOTE leverages the Iridium Certus network and LTE cellular connectivity, end-to-end networking and the powerful Cloudloop platform, to solve remote M2M / IoT connectivity challenges for Oil & Gas. It can be tailored to address a variety of fixed and mobile communications challenges within the Oil & Gas sector.
With serial, Ethernet, and GPIO connectivity to any IoT / M2M devices, it’s ideal for legacy installations; but equally has powerful integrated processing, storage and security features that pave the way for edge computing.
RockREMOTE is a particularly interesting solution for Oil & Gas as its exception reporting capabilities open up a whole new world for optimisation, while significantly reducing costs. By setting parameters to send data only if values change, clients are in a much stronger position to manage their data footprint and thus connectivity costs.
The RockREMOTE is a great solution for:
- Monitoring the performance of pressure pumps in the hydraulic fracturing process
- Capturing the data from flowback well tests
- Capturing production data
Also popular with the Oil & Gas sector
RockSTAR
Promoting better lone worker safety, the RockSTAR is a Two-Way Messenger global communication device and tracking system. Working far beyond the reach of Wi-Fi and GSM networks, companies can deliver peace of mind, with location updates, up to every 15 seconds.
RockFLEET
With the RockFLEET organisations know where their vehicles are, at all times and can visualise asset location on an easy-to-use web-based viewer. Additionally devices can be used to measure payload, optimise delivery routes and even capture early warnings of required maintenance.
Hughes 9502
BGAN M2M-capable terminals like the Hughes 9502, are low cost – typically with billable unit costs of 1 to 2 cents per kilobyte, and low power (.01 to 4 watts). Offered in one-piece or two-piece form factors, there is also a variant compliant for operation in Hazardous environments.
Discover the value add of better connectivity
Going digital in the Oil & Gas sector is getting easier. But many companies still fall at the first hurdle – connectivity. We have supported our Oil & Gas customers’ digital projects, IIoT applications and connectivity requirements for 20 years. So, truly – we’ve got you covered.
Interested to see what value better connectivity could deliver for your operations? Contact us today to book a no obligation discovery call.
Six Ways Asset Tracking Can Help Reduce Costs and Wastage in the Supply Chain
According to the BSI and TT Club’s Cargo Theft Report 2021, the top countries for cargo theft are Brazil, India, Mexico, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. By far the most common form of theft is to hijack trucks or otherwise force entry into containers while in transit; at 71%, this eclipses thefts from facilities (25%).
Road freight crime cost the UK economy £250 million in 2020 – a 113% increase on 2018 data – and the UK also holds the dubious honour of hosting the largest theft in EMEA supply chains: £7.5m worth of computing equipment was stolen from a truck in Nuneaton in the West Midlands in March 2020.
In addition to theft, there is a growing problem of individuals stowing away in cargo shipments, which increases insurance costs, and can result in loss of goods. To round off our trifecta of supply chain issues, we have perishable goods failing to make it to their destination in a usable state – astonishingly, a third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted, largely due to temperature sensitivity (accounting for half of all food waste).
Six ways asset tracking can help reduce costs and wastage in the supply chain
- Cargo theft is being effectively prevented by having IoT-enabled locks that send alerts if they’re tampered with by unauthorised people. Couple this with ubiquitous coverage provided by hybrid cellular / satellite services, and you can act in real-time to reduce theft.
- The same technology can prevent unwanted passengers, whose presence not only compromises the shipment integrity, but also increases your insurance premiums (not to mention rarely being a safe means of transport for the stowaway).
- By giving your drivers a means of contact with the outside world, even when out of mobile phone range, you can improve their personal safety and morale. And tracking their location gives reassurance that the goods will be delivered when intended, which means that the recipient can plan around the estimated delivery time with confidence.
- By measuring the condition of your assets (such as perishables), and being able to act on, for example, an unexpected temperature change in a refrigerated unit, you can reduce the chances of spoiled goods on arrival, saving costs and improving sustainability.
- Either by aggregating route data over time, or by layering real-time traffic and weather data over your truck, train or ship’s trajectory, you can perform route optimisation, lowering fuel costs and improving driver safety.
- Sensor data can easily measure wear and tear; by alerting fleet managers to any issues before they become crises, you can lower costs and improve driver safety, as well as avoiding costly and reputation damaging delays.
What technologies should you consider for your asset tracking requirements?
There are two considerations: firstly, how will you gather your sensor data from multiple different units (e.g. containers) in a cost-effective, low maintenance, secure and reliable way? Secondly, once you have that data, how will you transmit it to your base of operations so it can be acted upon?
In terms of gathering sensor data, this is where LPWAN (low-power wide area network) technology comes into its own. Created for IoT networks, LPWANs combine great power efficiency, low operating costs, and the ability to manage a large number of connected devices over a wide area. Most have a star topology – each sensor or node is connected to a central gateway. Here’s an excellent explanation of LPWAN technology and the major players in this space.
The gateway, or hub, typically has some edge processing capabilities, so it can recognise when data points have fallen out of pre-set parameters, and can then report on exception, rather than sending a continuous stream of data. This is useful for smart locks or temperature sensors, where you don’t necessarily need to provide an update if nothing has changed.
Then it’s a question of getting that data back to you. If your asset is within range of a mobile phone mast, a cellular transmitter will be your first choice of data retrieval. It’s low cost, relatively low power, reliable and well understood. Plus, the challenges of moving between mobile network operators (MNOs) as your asset moves from country to country have been largely overcome.
One solution is eSIMs: this technology allows you to host multiple “profiles” (i.e. MNOs) on a single SIM card. Another solution is working with a provider such as Telit, who have global IoT data plans, and manage this complexity for you.
If your asset is going to travel outside of cellular coverage, you have two choices: firstly, you can wait until your tracker reconnects to the next available mobile phone mast, which is probably OK if the black spot is just a few minutes. Secondly, you can failover to satellite connectivity.
Considerations for satellite asset tracking
Data: satellite is more expensive than cellular, so it makes sense to optimise your data transmissions – this will also extend the battery life of your device, if it is battery-powered. Reporting on exception, or using a messaging protocol like MQTT, are increasingly common best practices.
Security: when it comes to sending data to the satellite, and from the satellite to the ground station, this is very secure and hard to intercept. Next, you must get your data from the ground station to your application server. Most companies use the internet for data backhaul and protect their asset by VPN, or a dedicated circuit. Our blog post on ‘How to Improve Satellite IoT Network Security‘ is worth a read for more information on this topic.
The security of the physical asset – the transceiver – is also important, and so look for a ruggedised, small form factor device that can be easily concealed, and will stand up to all manner of weather conditions.
Budget: as your asset will likely be moving in and out of cellular coverage, choose a device that seamlessly switches between cellular and satellite, such as the RockFLEET, choosing the lowest cost routing. This, along with data optimisation and the appropriate choice of airtime, will keep your costs down.
Power: asset tracking devices are by design not power hungry. There are battery and solar powered options if there is no mains power available; as an example, a company we work with on endangered species preservation builds a satellite transceiver into animal tracking collars, which then typically last around 3 years on a single charge.
Mobility: in this use case you are expecting the asset to move; that means you either need a device that auto-points itself at a satellite in geostationary orbit, or use a device that connects with satellite constellations in low earth orbit (LEO). The latter is often a better choice for land freight as it is easier for LEO devices to find a signal when passing through wooded or hilly territory.
Connectivity: Make sure you’re using the appropriate airtime for your needs. Satellite connectivity has diversified a great deal, so don’t pay for broadband when you only need event driven messaging like Iridium’s Short Burst Data, or Viasat’s IsatData Pro.
Get in touch
If you’d like expert guidance on your asset tracking needs, please get in touch by completing this form or emailing hello@groundcontrol.com.
With over 20 years’ experience, we are well placed to advise you on the best hardware and airtime to meet your specifications.
Selecting the Right Satellite Connectivity for the Oil & Gas Industry
For Oil and Gas companies, selecting the right satellite connectivity to connect people or machines can be complex. We’ve built a simple decision tree to help you determine the best satellite solutions to connect people or machines, whether your throughput requirements are low or high, fixed or mobile.
*Mobile can also be fixed
These products are of course not your only options for these requirements, but they are our top picks, and here’s why.
Iridium Extreme 9575 PTT
The Extreme 9575 PTT is Iridium’s top-of-the-line push-to-talk satellite phone. It offers superior PTT, voice, SMS texting, GPS, low-speed Internet, SOS button, and real-time web-tracking. This ruggedized satellite phone works in all weather conditions and is an ideal communications tool for remote Oil and Gas sites, and for total connectivity wherever engineers travel.
Toughsat XP
Toughsat XP is Ground Control’s flagship professional series mobile satellite system, incorporating a powerful feature set that operates both normal and extreme remote site environments. The quick one-button deployment provides high-speed WiFi for up to 256 devices from any well site in less than 3.5 minutes.
MCD-4800
The MCD-4800 (“The Football”) is an auto-pointing Viasat satellite terminal that requires no user training to operate. Simply place the weatherproof case anywhere on site, turn it on and then close the lid – no pointing necessary. Within a minute the MCD-4800 becomes a powerful WiFi hotspot accessible by any wireless device within a 100-meter range for up to 5 hours on internal battery power.
RockBLOCK 9602
Perfect for M2M / IoT low throughput well site requirements, the RockBLOCK 9602 satellite modem utilizes the power of the Iridium® Satellite Network. The versatile and reliable RockBLOCK delivers plug-and-play satellite connectivity, from any point on Earth including the polar regions.
Hughes 9502
The 9502 terminal delivers affordable, global, end-to-end IP data connectivity and is an ideal choice for Oil and Gas companies. The exceptional low power consumption (1W idle) of the Hughes 9502 makes it possible to provide end-to-end IP connectivity to sites that are off-grid. This breakthrough provides end-to-end IP connectivity to any power-challenged Oil and Gas locations that involve sensitive power budgets.
RockREMOTE
RockREMOTE delivers a reliable and flexible, all IP-based, dual-mode LTE-Satellite communications solution for fixed, semi-fixed or mobile M2M / IoT applications worldwide. Customers select between Ethernet, Wi-Fi or Serial RS232/485 for their communications interface requirements. The solution combines the RockREMOTE terminal, the Iridium Certus network and LTE cellular connectivity, end-to-end networking and the powerful Cloudloop platform. It can be tailored to address a variety of fixed and mobile communications challenges faced by Oil and Gas engineers.
SCADASat
The SCADASat by TSAT satellite system is designed to meet the demanding requirements of the Oil & Gas industry. SCADASat provides a private satellite network operating a direct communication channel between a process control centre and these often remote locations. By locating a private TSAT3000 HUB at a control centre, complete independence of any public infrastructure is obtained, and secure and reliable communication between Oil and Gas sites is assured.
Can We Help You?
With 20 years of experience, we can help you make the best choices for your remote connectivity, whether you need one or several thousand devices!
We’re not invested in selling you a specific product or connections, just the best solution for your needs.
Call us on +44 (0) 1452 751940 (Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania) or 800 773 7168 (North and South America), complete the form, or email hello@groundcontrol.com.
Calling UK Utility Providers…Get Switched on About the Big Switch Off
Many UK businesses still heavily depend on copper wire-based services to collect data and communicate with remote sites. These hardwired connections have offered reliability and resilience for decades. However, the cost of operating and maintaining outdated copper wire-based analogue services is high, and the limited bandwidth and speeds no longer meet customer expectations. BT Openreach, who own and manage these lines, have therefore called an end to analogue based services. The PSTN network will be switched off in December 2025.
The decision to switch off PSTN creates a necessity for organizational change and large-scale investment. The switch off provides an ideal opportunity for digital transformation, and the removal of existing legacy systems. Businesses are also changing. Organizations are merging Operational Technology (OT) with IT services, drawing the worlds of physical infrastructure and data management closer together. Further, expansion into process control and automation, and data sharing across an organization, creates efficiencies through optimization and greater visibility.
Fibre optic cable as a PSTN solution
Openreach is focused on fibre optic cable as the solution for replacing PSTN. It’s cheaper and more resilient as a product and it offers faster speeds and greater bandwidth to carry more data. The area around an exchange and its network infrastructure which can use fibre, is known as a ‘fibre footprint’. The size of the footprint may be due to economics or physics, but the real communication challenge for PSTN switch off lies outside the footprint.
Utilities providers can pay for a fibre connection to be added to remote sites, and this is a good choice if applications will benefit from 20 times more bandwidth and higher speeds of up to a gigabit per second. However, millions of active PSTN lines at remote sites won’t benefit, and increased sophistication of cyber threats and the prohibitive economic cost of digging fibre to remote locations means a different approach is required.
Satellite communication as a PSTN solution
Several satellite communication services offer secure solutions with varying bandwidth and speeds at viable pricing. What’s more, satellite services go one step further and provide more than an like for like replacement for remote sites with no coverage. Satellite also offers cyber security and resilience at critical locations, even where there is cellular coverage. Implementing built in satellite and cellular communication paths reduces the risks posed by the switch off PSTN lines.
BT Openreach findings
The number and variability in locations, applications and data requirements, means the PSTN replacement will be a mix of solutions. With 16 million lines and channels to manage, most replacements will be simple, straightforward swaps to cellular or fibre. The distance from the exchange and the data volumes are key questions. Certain lines will be better served by fibre connections and some will be more easily replaced by a cellular solution. This leaves an estimated 10% of sites too far from the exchange to be serviced by fibre or broadband over copper, with many of these also requiring more resilience than cellular coverage offers.
RockREMOTE as a satellite-based solution
The potential loss of connection and data transfer from assets can carry heavy penalties, both monetary and reputation damage. The challenge of converting traditional lines into digital communications without such loss can be resolved effectively by adopting the new RockREMOTE technology. The unit, with its hybrid LTE / Iridium Certus connectivity, facilitates data transfer from and to anywhere – only solar power is required to run the RockREMOTE continuously and without loss of connectivity.
With RS232 and RS485 built in, supporting serial to IP migration for telemetry devices, RockREMOTE has a full Linux OS, and even has storage allowing users to move closer to the benefits of edge computing-based processing.
Key Features:
- RockREMOTE reaches where other solutions can’t – cellular doesn’t always provide reliable connectivity in remote areas and there is a lack of capacity in rural locations. Also, this will likely get worse with the sunsetting of 2G/3G over the next few years
- Provides backup comms – some sites are connectivity-critical and require backup comms when all else (namely cellular or fibre) fails
- More cost-effective than fibre – fibre solutions remain costly and difficult to implement, especially if channelling to and installing in remote locations
- Requires only solar – it is not uncommon for sites to be powered entirely by renewable energies. RockREMOTE can run purely through solar and does not require a generator or other power source, making it both energy- and cost-efficient.
Final Thoughts…
Understanding the practical business requirements for data transmission from remote sites and then designing a matrix of viable options is undoubtedly a major project. For non-essential applications in areas of good coverage, cellular will always, and appropriately, be considered the easy win.
Utility companies who count PSTN lines in their thousands need to make a start swapping to robust and secure digital IP-based communication technologies. Technologies that allow organizations to securely extend IT infrastructure to every remote corner of their operations, create complete visibility of assets, and allow process control. Satellite technologies also offer proven cyber-secure scalable communications. RockREMOTE is therefore ideal for industrial use cases where sites are remote and satellite communication is the only sensible PSTN switch off solution.
Video guide
This webinar has also been put together as a handy guide for using satellite communication as your PSTN replacement:
Get in touch
We’ve implemented satellite IoT infrastructure for decades, and there’s very rarely been an obstruction issue we couldn’t overcome with a bit of knowledge and ingenuity.
We’d be happy to talk to you about your project and offer impartial advice on the best antenna and satellite service for your particular requirements. Call or email us, or complete the form.
Far-Sighted Satellite Solutions for Constant Connectivity
We can now establish optimal communications to and from even the most inaccessible areas on land, on sea and in the skies, while contributing directly to the reduction of international carbon emissions.
Spearheading this momentous and necessary step change is Iridium, proudly designating itself as ‘the only truly global communications network’. Iridium’s Global Line of Sight programme is currently emphasising the versatility, efficiency and practicality of its satellite services with regard to unmanned aircraft systems, drones and other autonomous or remotely-piloted vehicles; and this initiative is, in turn, enthusiastically supported by Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control), with integral products such as its RockBLOCK plug-and-play satellite communication solution.
RockBLOCK units are indispensable Internet of Things (IoT) devices, enabling all manner of autonomous assets to transmit Short Burst Data (SBD) messages between the equipment and centralised host computer systems. The range encompasses the RockBLOCK 9602 and the more compact RockBLOCK 9603, chiefly intended for use in contexts such as system integration or product development where space within an enclosure might be limited. Hosting an Iridium SBD modem, RockBLOCK effortlessly overcomes the limitations of Wi-Fi and GSM networks, and is capable of sending and receiving short messages from literally anywhere on Earth with a view of the sky.
RockBLOCK’s value to sectors such as Search & Rescue, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance), Environmental Monitoring and Disaster Assessment, where rapid and reliable messaging is of the essence, is demonstrable. Here are some examples of the RockBLOCK in action.
Iridium Edge Solar
In addition to the RockBLOCK, Ground Control’s plug-and-play product range features a variety of other tracking and communications solutions, using the Iridium network, to enable data transfer to and from hitherto inaccessible areas. These include the RockSTAR two-way messenger, the RockFLEET global tracking device to drive efficiencies in fleet management, and the RockAIR tracking and messaging device, designed for easy mounting on the dashboard of light aircraft and vehicles.
In a meaningful new development, it was announced at the tail end of 2019 that Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control) has been nominated as the beta partner for the new, solar-powered and competitively-priced Iridium Edge Solar tracking device, which is scheduled for launch in 2020. Offering easy wireless installation and an autonomous tracking facility, the set-and-forget Iridium Edge Solar is perfect for users requiring a simple, economical but completely reliable SBD tracking device supplying pole-to-pole connectivity.
Wingcopter
Wingcopter’s lightweight but robust VTOL drones are transforming processes and practices for customers in a broad variety of contexts – anything from the transportation of medical or aid supplies and the inspection of large-scale infrastructure, to forestry mapping and the creation of logistics chains to and from remote locations.
Wingcopter has been equipping its drones with RockBLOCK units. With their unprecedented range and speed, the VTOL drones are capable of flying into environments and territories with limited or zero GSM coverage, and the RockBLOCK’s ability to send and receive data from such locations means that users can reliably track a drone’s flight status with ease from their tablet or computer, regardless of the VTOL’s whereabouts.
RockBLOCK at High Altitudes
RockBLOCK units have also been fundamental components in esoteric, questing enterprises such as the LOHAN (Low-Orbit Helium-Assisted Navigator) spaceplane project, enacted by the Special Projects Bureau from the science and technology website The Register, aided by a team of volunteers. The project’s aim was to deploy a single meteorological balloon to raise the 3D-printed spaceplane to altitude – the rim of space – then release the craft and glide it back to a designated landing site using a combination of GPS and autopilot control.
The RockBLOCK proved indispensable as a means of transmitting GPS data and receiving ground commands when the LOHAN unit rose out of GRPS coverage range. Furthermore, a stipulation of the project was that an emergency mission abort protocol needed to be implemented in the event of the unit veering off course. Had this occurred, a message would have been communicated to the RockBLOCK via Rock Seven’s API, which enables remote systems to interact with the firm’s products, and this would have triggered the spaceplane’s self-destruct mechanism.
A similarly lofty demonstration of the RockBLOCK’s capabilities took place when a team comprising Andrew Ashe, Jerry Sandys and Peter Gibbs sent a balloon to near space, using code developed by the eminent computer scientist and senior software engineer Mikal Hart. In this instance, the RockBLOCK was used to successfully allow the team to track the balloon throughout its flight, as well as enabling them to recover its payload when the high-altitude craft returned to Earth.
The Microtransat Challenge
Proving that RockBLOCK products are just as much at home afloat as in the sky, the Microtransat Challenge is a transatlantic race for autonomous boats; but the competitive element is, in a sense, an adjunct to its real objective, which is to encourage the development, construction and refinement of such vessels. Two teams involved in the challenge, representing Epsom College and Southampton University, are finding the RockBLOCK to be an ideal IoT solution.
Teams from Epsom College have participated in the 2016, 2018 and 2019 challenges with the boats That’ll Do, That’ll Do Two and EC-Crossing, and in each case, a RockBLOCK unit has been put to work transmitting detailed telemetry data from each vessel as they have attempted to cross the Atlantic. Once an hour, the RockBLOCK has relayed each boat’s latitude and longitude position as well as providing updates on battery voltages and temperature readings inside the electronics bays. The RockBLOCK is also capable of sending a Mayday alert should any water be detected in the hull. The RockBLOCK has enabled teams to forward vessel updates to a PHP script which places a position marker on a rolling map on the college’s website as well as updating Twitter and allowing data to be stored in a Structured Query Language (SQL) database.
Ship Science students from Southampton University, meanwhile, have applied themselves to the design and construction of an autonomous, solar-powered vessel named Peruagus. A radical departure from most craft that have undertaken the Microtransat Challenge in previous years, the sturdy, self-righting Peruagus exclusively draws upon sustainable solar energy for propulsion and rudder control, and its modular composition has been devised specifically to allow all manner of different weather monitoring apparatus, power systems and superstructure configurations to be installed. As with the Epsom College vessels, a RockBLOCK unit is a prerequisite for transmitting exhaustive telemetry data from the Peruagus while also enabling the autonomous boat to receive waypoint instructions.
SEASCAMS2
RockBLOCK units are also providing sterling service at the heart of the SEACAMS2 project, a £17m, three-year undertaking jointly conceived by the universities of Bangor and Swansea to assist research and applications for low-carbon, marine-renewable energy opportunities in the convergence regions of Wales. Environmental monitoring specialists OSIL (Ocean Scientific International Ltd) are closely involved with the project and have supplied a network of three data buoys, each of which has a RockBLOCK unit installed.
The function of the buoys is to support the sustainability aims of the project by collating water quality, meteorological and oceanographic data from the waters around the North Wales coast. To this end, each buoy is equipped with a dual telemetry system; and the RockBLOCK units are a prerequisite for conveying the crucial information collected by the buoys in dependable, unbroken SBD transmissions from remote sea areas beyond the range of GSM networks.
Read more about our work with OSIL and the SEACAMS2 project.
As commerce, society and the ecology come to rely more and more upon the exchange of real-time data we can trust, Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control) is blazing a trail for 24-carat connectivity from all corners of the globe.
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We’ve implemented satellite IoT infrastructure for decades, and there’s very rarely been an obstruction issue we couldn’t overcome with a bit of knowledge and ingenuity.
We’d be happy to talk to you about your project and offer impartial advice on the best antenna and satellite service for your particular requirements. Call or email us, or complete the form.
What is Iridium NEXT?
In 2019, Iridium celebrated the final launch of its upgraded satellites to replace all Block 1 units in orbit. This marked the completion of the new Iridium NEXT constellation.
A decade in the Making
The Iridium NEXT constellation took almost ten years of deliberations and development and cost around $3bn for the total upgrade.
In regard to launching the satellites, Iridium said: “When launching satellites, success or failure is at first measured in a roughly 9-minute window. Then for Iridium, add another 40 minutes to an hour for deployment and successful communication with the new satellites.” They questioned if they had tested enough – would the satellites wake up and “call home”.
The great news is that they did. And the rest is history.
Thales Alenia built the 66 satellites intended for the operation and Iridium commissioned them with 15 additional units for its contingency plan. Two years later, the satellites are up and fully functional with all original operation Block 1 satellites deorbited and the ‘slot swap’ completed.
What does Iridium NEXT do differently?
The Block 1 Iridium satellites brought global connectivity to all SBD device users. The NEXT satellites also provide truly global pole-to-pole coverage but at a higher bandwidth and with an even more reliable, high-quality service. A number of additional capabilities have been facilitated as a result of the new generation of satellites – namely Iridium Certus.
Iridium Certus is the world’s only truly global broadband service, and has only been made possible as a result of the new constellation. It provides faster speeds over satellite anywhere in the world and supports the Iridium Certus Platform. Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control) attended a demonstration day hosted by British search and rescue charity SARAID, in which our RockSTARs were used to help showcase the Iridium Certus platform in the field. The day was a great success.
How does Iridium NEXT effect Ground Control Customers?
Customers who purchase any Ground Control or Iridium product through us will still get all the benefits as the existing Rock Seven, now trading as Ground Control, products. This includes access to our ‘The Core’ management system, which allows you to see current and historic position tracking data on a map interface for your fleet, send configuration commands over-the-air, and receive data into your own systems via our suite of APIs. You can also manage your airtime online through the portal.
The difference with Iridium NEXT is that customers now enjoy the same service but with higher bandwidth, so you’re getting more bang for your buck.
A Ground Control (formerly Rock Seven) representative said: “We’ve fully supported Iridium with the Iridium NEXT campaign. We’ve been with them every step of the way, checking in and seeing the amazing progress they’ve made right up to the launch of the final rocket last year. The capabilities enabled by the refurbished satellites brings great benefits for our customers, enabling an even better service and value for money than ever before.”
OSIL use RockBLOCK to Assist Data Collection for Tidal Energy Opportunities
Working with Bangor University (Wales) on the SEACAMS2 project, Ocean Scientific International Ltd (OSIL) has provided a network of three telemetered data buoys which are each equipped with a RockBLOCK. The buoys collect and measure oceanographic, meteorological, and water quality data parameters around the coast of North Wales, using the RockBLOCK to transmit that data from remote locations.
The SEACAMS2 project is a collaboration between Bangor University and Swansea University. Funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the aim of the project is to support research and applications for renewable energy, climate change resilience, and resource efficiency.
In a continued effort to find sustainable, renewable energy opportunities, the purpose of the buoys in the SEACAMS2 project is to measure the possibility of using the ‘dramatic, tempestuous, and extremely complex environments’ the area is synonymous with for energy purposes, while ensuring it’s done safely and efficiently.
Each buoy has a dual telemetry system to relay their absorbed data from its data logger to control for analysis. If the buoy is in GSM range then the GPRS modem is used, whilst the RockBLOCK Iridium modem is triggered for short burst data (SBD) transmissions when out of GSM range.
Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control) CEO, Nick Farrell said: “We’re pleased OSIL has chosen to use the RockBLOCK as the satellite communications element for its SEACAMS2 project buoys, ensuring continuity and reliability of its data transmission. The SEACAMS2 project is of great importance in the pursuit of clean energy and making sure the data is complete is invaluable. The RockBLOCK is a versatile and dependable way of sending and receiving data from remote locations, and can be used in conjunction with GPRS or in isolation. Because it uses the Iridium satellite network, it guarantees truly global coverage, even at the Poles.”
OSIL Project Manager, Rob Luthwaite said: “We enjoy working with Ground Control as they offer great, sensibly priced, products with excellent after-sales support and an easy-to-use online shopfront.”
View the monitoring real-time hydrodynamic changes from coastal platforms article on the OSIL website for further information on this story.
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