IoT & M2M Connectivity
Taking our customers terrestrial applications and
making them work anywhere on Earth.
We design and build Satellite IoT devices complete with airtime and lifetime support.
If you need to capture sensor data from remote places – deserts, forests, oceans, mountain
tops – we can help.
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Satellite IoT: Ubiquitous Coverage
Reliable and continuous connectivity is crucial for the success of IoT deployments as big data is at its core. But with LTE coverage gaps throughout America, 75% of businesses face connectivity issues during IoT project trials. Even excluding Alaska, 11% of the nation’s road miles lack 4G LTE coverage, and 16% of square miles have no LTE or only subsidized coverage. With satellite IoT, previously unreachable or unmonitored assets, such as pipelines, shipping containers or wildlife can be connected, monitored and managed in real-time, ensuring greater visibility and control.
Ground Control specialize in helping businesses build and extend their network reach. From hardware and airtime to remote device and data management, we have the solutions you need to ensure your project runs smoothly.
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Selecting the right Satellite IoT Hardware & Airtime
These questions are aimed at helping you narrow down your options, but if you require additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help.
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 Inmarsat IDP for critical applications, or cubesats.
E.g. audio, images, log files. Kilobytes to a few megabytes.
For medium volume use cases, you should consider Iridium Certus 100 (which offers both IP- and message-based options) and Inmarsat BGAN M2M.
E.g. video. Megabytes to gigabytes.
If you need to transmit high volumes of IoT data, it’s worth exploring Starlink or 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 and the RockFLEET.
If it’s essential that your data is delivered in close to real-time, you need to consider the network maturity, visibility and latency. Iridium-powered devices have the lowest latency and the broadest visibility. Inmarsat BGAN M2M and ScadaSAT by TSAT also offer very low latency and very high reliability of data delivery.
If you can wait for your data (i.e. store and forward), you can optimize your delivery, and look at networks that have fewer satellites in orbit (newer LEO constellations like Swarm, for example).
If you operate national critical infrastructure, you may need something with zero reliance on public infrastructure. Have a look at the SCADASat, which gives you a private satellite network.
You either need an auto-pointing device to connect with a geostationary satellite (such as Inmarsat) 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.
Only established low earth orbit satellite constellations work well in the polar regions so you’re looking at Iridium.
Data security is a priority but not necessarily a concern. Satellite data traffic is already relatively secure meeting most military and government security standards. But you may want to consider a public static LPS and/or completely configurable firewalls, to assist your data getting from A to B.
If your application requires higher levels of security, it’s worth exploring data encryption options. You can encrypt data prior to transmission, send over satellite link and then decrypt once landed. With Ground Control you can also set up a VPN from our data centre direct to your server, creating a secure, virtual tunnel.
If you require a completely private, secure network have a look at the SCADASat. This service offers customers their own dedicated frequency on the space segment – an extremely secure solution with relatively low OPEX costs. For Inmarsat and Iridium traffic, you can consider MPLS installation or leased-lines offering a private network solution.
How we Connect Customers with Your Data
IT’S AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3.
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.
Select Hardware
Choose Airtime
Manage data Select Hardware
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.
Choose Airtime
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 Inmarsat and Iridium available today.
Manage data
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.
Popular Satellite IoT Hardware
Leveraging the Iridium satellite network, the RockBLOCK 9603 is a compact, low cost, low power satellite modem. An ideal choice for remote monitoring applications in harsh environments. Built to withstand extreme weather conditions, the Hughes 9502 series can provide secure data transmission in remote locations. The RockREMOTE offers a dependable and adaptable dual-mode, LTE-Satellite communication solution that utilizes all-IP technology to cater to M2M/IoT applications - fixed or mobile.
Our trusted satellite network partners
Iridium
Inmarsat
Eutelsat
Manage Devices and Data Remotely
Our comprehensive data and device management platform, Cloudloop, enables you to securely manage all devices across deployments and Iridium and Inmarsat networks, within a single window. With the platform, you can effortlessly activate and manage assets, gain valuable insights to optimise costs and identify issues early. We also offer well documented REST APIs, so you can ensure seamless integration with existing workflows.
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FEATURES AND BENEFITS
What sets Ground Control apart
Connect anywhere
Stay connected no matter where your devices are located. Ensure you have full visibility of your operations, anywhere and everywhere.
Affordable satellite coverage
We offer some of the most affordable and flexible airtime service plans in the industry. Enjoy the benefits of satellite connectivity without breaking the bank.
Easy to use
You don’t need to be a technical expert to use our products. Our user-friendly solutions make it easy to manage and monitor your IoT devices.
Rugged and durable
Tried and tested in extreme environments including the Australian desert, Antarctic and Atlantic Ocean, our devices work wherever you do.
Real-time insights
Our intuitive platform Cloudloop lets you monitor devices and data usage in real-time. See which devices are working as expected and control those which aren’t, remotely.
Expert support
Our team of seasoned experts is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Tailored advice through to technical support, we’ve got your covered.
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Satellite IoT Case Studies
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July 19, 2023Ocean-based carbon removal to combat climate change
How Running Tide is leveraging satellite IoT – specifically, the RockBLOCK 9603 – to move carbon from the fast carbon cycle to the slow carbon cycle, helping to combat climate change.
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July 18, 2023RockBLOCK Plus empowers monitoring of distressed vessels
Discover how Barnacle Systems revolutionizes the monitoring of abandoned and wrecked vessels with their BRNKL Rapid Deploy units, equipped with the reliable RockBLOCK Plus satellite connectivity.
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February 24, 2023How satellite-connected sensors are aiding precision farming in Kenya
Agritech company Synnefa is transforming productivity and reducing waste in farms across Kenya through comprehensive sensor data collection and analysis. Here’s how satellite IoT is helping expand their reach.
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February 9, 2023BGAN M2M’s role in soil moisture monitoring to help combat climate change
As well as optimum vegetation and crop management through soil moisture monitoring, measuring soil moisture also helps to inform our understanding of how the natural environment responds to climate change. Here’s how the BGAN M2M service is supporting this initiative.
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January 16, 2023Real-time oceanic and meteorological telemetry with RockREMOTE
MTE’s Viking Buoy has been deployed across North America to deliver maritime IoT insights for the scientific research community. Here’s how upgrading to the RockREMOTE and Certus 100 service has helped further their mission.
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May 23, 2022Delivering Coverage and Reliability for ASC’s Tsunami Early Warning System
As a critical communications network, there was never any question that ASC’s early warning system would need to utilize satellite connectivity, both for the coverage requirements and network reliability. Commercial terrestrial power and communications networks tend to perform poorly in a disaster – either through overuse or damage to their infrastructure.
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October 25, 2021Facilitating Renewable Energy with RWE
RWE is one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, and operates 5 hydroelectric stations in Wales, UK. This is an area of significant rainfall, which can lead to damaging and dangerous floods. But with enough advance warning, RWE can harness this rainfall and use it to supply more renewable energy to the grid. This is how satellite connectivity made that possible.
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August 11, 2021Environmental Monitoring and Reporting with Obscape
A Government Agency responsible for coastal, stormwater and catchment management has assigned Ground Control customer Obscape to assist with reporting on areas such as – monitoring and reporting on catchment management, flood risk areas, storm drains and drainage ditches with the aid of the RockBLOCK.
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August 5, 2021Automated Landslide Monitoring
Slide Sentinel is a fully automated landslide monitoring system using RTK. It regularly monitors landslide activity with high spatiotemporal resolution and centimetre-level accuracy for long-term deployments. Measuring this way aids in early warning information and limits the use of invasive and expensive drilling.
FAQs
Satellite IoT enables devices and sensors to communicate with each other via satellites. It enables businesses and individuals to connect and control their IoT devices from remote and hard-to-reach locations where traditional cellular networks are not available or unreliable.
Satellite IoT works by transmitting data from the device to a satellite, which then relays the information back to a ground station. The ground station then sends the data to the end user, who can access it through an application or a web interface.
Satellite IoT can be used in a wide range of applications, from environmental monitoring and precision agriculture to asset tracking and remote sensing. The technology is particularly useful for industries that require constant connectivity, such as maritime, aviation, and energy. It can also be used in emergency situations where communication networks have been disrupted or destroyed.
Satellite IoT can be used to connect a wide variety of devices, including sensors, trackers, monitoring devices, and other IoT devices. These devices can transmit data on various parameters, such as location, temperature, humidity, pressure, and more. Satellite-enabled equipment is required to establish the connection – usually through a satellite modem or transceiver, for example, the RockBLOCK 9602.
Yes, we have our own delivery network for Iridium and Inmarsat traffic. This gives us complete control over our certified, state-of-the-art data paths, ensuring secure and reliable traffic delivery. With this network, we can provide our customers with real-time traffic monitoring and support.
Yes, satellite IoT can be integrated with existing systems and infrastructure using standard protocols and APIs, such as MQTT or RESTful APIs. This allows data transmitted by satellite IoT devices to be processed and analysed alongside data from other sources.
Yes, it is becoming more common to use satellite IoT as a backhaul or alternative to terrestrial network coverage, especially in areas where LoRaWAN gateways are not available or practical. This technology can provide connectivity to remote or inaccessible locations and mobile assets that move between areas with varying network coverage. Ground Control has introduced LoRaWAN data backhaul using satellite connectivity for a customer, which kept costs low while extending their network coverage. For full details, read our post.
Need help expanding your IoT application?
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