How SATCOM enables Unattended Sensors
Unattended Sensors: An Overview
Unattended sensors are the backbone of the autonomous world, and are primarily used to:
- Capture and disseminate critical data on a 24/7
- Be rugged and durable in design to withstand harsh elements
- Avoid needing human intervention for long periods time.
Unattended sensors are often deployed in remote areas where cellular connectivity is minimal or nonexistent, and SATCOM is the ideal solution to use as a primary or backup connectivity option.
Learn more about IoT solutions
SATCOM Providing Complete Network Coverage
Our network is uniquely qualified to connect unattended sensors, being the only connectivity choice that delivers truly global coverage.
Each satellite is connected to its neighboring satellites via crosslinks creating a web of coverage around the entire planet.
Our Low Earth Orbit (LEO) location delivers in low-latency, while the L-band frequency provides a reliable and weather-resilient signal, which are ideal network characteristics for providing connectivity to unattended sensors.
Iridium in Unattended Sensors Today
Unattended sensors connected by our network are deployed by a variety of industries all over the world in some of the most hazardous environments.
Whether it’s a utility company monitoring pipelines, a remote weather station tracking severe storms, railway track condition sensing and monitoring, or tsunami warning buoys, these sensors are already everywhere and are helping to make a positive impact on our planet.
By using SATCOM to connect unattended sensors, companies and organizations from nearly all industries are able to monitor and collect data about nearly anything, from anywhere. For example:
Conservation
Conservationists monitoring changes to ecosystems like melting ice caps and glaciers and are also using them to track migration patterns of endangered species like the Adelie penguin population in Antarctica.
Read the case study
Military and Commercial Monitoring
Our partner McQ offers multiple unattended ground sensor solutions for military and commercial use. These sensors are small, rugged devices that can be stealthily deployed (some versions can even be air dropped) into locations that are too dangerous for humans.
Environmental Monitoring
Our partner Intellisense offers a solution called the AWARE Flood Sensor that tracks flood waters and provides warning signals to first responders about flood prone areas.