The Satellite IoT (Internet of Things) is something that has truly brought smartness to our modern lives. From smart light bulbs, smart speakers, and smart thermostats to home security, we can find the applications of the Internet of Things.
These IoTs are the evidence of a significant technological advancement. With the dramatic evolution of technology, our have also changed significantly. With the help of satellite technology, we can now accomplish far more than ever and get the maximum result with less input.
If you think that Satellite IoT is only useful for domestic help, you would be mistaken. Technological development has also impacted the way businesses use technologies.
Now, most industrial businesses, including agriculture, maritime, aviation, and energy & utilities, rely on industrial IoT technologies to boost productivity, efficiency, and operations. The only issue with the IoTs is the lack of connectivity.
As only one-tenth of the world’s population comes under fibre or cellular connectivity, therefore, satellite connectivity becomes critical to enable industrial IoT.
IoT Vs Industrial IoT (IIoT)
The concept of IoT holds the idea of gathering and exchanging data through building a network of vehicles, physical devices, appliances, and other devices with sensors, software systems, and connectivity. The internet connection helps these devices to develop communication with each other without the intervention of humans.
- The advancement in internet connectivity has created a path for IoT devices. It has become possible to connect a long list of IoT devices with the help of high-speed internet connectivity, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 4G/5G.
- Cloud and superior computing technologies have made it easy for us to store and analyze the data produced by IoT devices.
- The tiny size of the modern sensors has significantly reduced the production cost while improving the ability to gather and exchange data.
These are some important reasons why Industrial IoT has grown rapidly. IIoT is basically about integrating IoT devices and advanced technologies, such as internet-connected devices, systems, machines, and sensors, to collect, analyze, and exchange data precisely.
The Functioning of Satellite IoT
First of all, it is important to develop satellite communication terminals within IoT devices, such as trackers, sensors, and monitoring devices. This will directly connect a device with the satellite in space. Therefore, the terrestrial infrastructure is no longer needed.
Once the IoT device is connected to the satellite, it starts to gather information from the surrounding environment and then process and package the data for proper transmission. To send the packaged data to the satellite, IoT devices use predetermined frequencies and protocols.
The satellite then receives the packaged data and relays that back down to different ground stations. Then by using cloud-based or local systems energy operators, farmers, or fleet managers process, analyze, and visualize the data.
Satellite IoTs have significant applications in various sectors, including agriculture, energy, and transport. Some major satellite IoT applications are found in the optimization of crop yield and livestock management in agriculture, smart grid management and remote asset monitoring in the energy sector, fleet tracking and management and passenger safety and experience in transport.