An Internet of Things company backed by the UK and European space agencies has received permission to launch in Australia.
Lacuna Space, based in Oxford, England, creates “sensor-satellite” devices that allow equipment in remote areas to transmit small amounts of data via CubeSats.
These inexpensive devices can send data for five years without needing to be recharged or replaced, making them ideal for outback Australia.
“In North Queensland, a particularly dry and isolated region, Lacuna Space is working with a company to manage water levels and drought conditions,” the company said.
“Here, effective water management is crucial to maintaining livestock grazing and supporting local communities during droughts.
“By eliminating the need for costly terrestrial infrastructure, Lacuna’s satellite IoT can help provide long-term insights to help mitigate the impact of droughts by ensuring more efficient water and resource management.” »
Lacuna says its technology can also allow users to track environmental changes on land, remotely manage agricultural systems, or monitor equipment performance. The devices work by transmitting a signal directly to a passing satellite which stores the messages for a short time until they pass over its network of ground stations.
Messages are then relayed automatically from the ground station to a cloud platform for viewing on a web application.
Above all, the signals use a long-range wide area network protocol specially designed to save battery power.
The news follows a series of announcements from local companies promising to provide internet services to previously unconnected regions.
Last month, for example, TPG revealed it would launch a “direct-to-mobile” satellite service for customers living in remote areas.
The deal, uniquely, will not require customers to obtain specific hardware and will instead work on all compatible handsets.
TPG said The Australian the service would eventually provide “near 100% mobile coverage” across the country, eliminating “dead zones” in remote areas.
However, unlike its larger telecommunications rival, TPG has agreed to work with Starlink rival Lynk Global, which uses a smaller number of low-Earth orbit satellites than its SpaceX-owned opponent.
Starlink, meanwhile, continued the launch of its portable satellite dish that allows users to access a reliable internet connection on the go.
The device, which looks like a large laptop, works like a traditional dongle but allows users to access the Internet without needing to be within range of a telephone mast.
The new mini antenna costs $799 and can be bundled with two plans: “Mobile Regional,” which costs $174 per month and offers unlimited mobile data, or “Mini Roam,” which costs $80 per month for 50 GB of data. data.
Importantly, the plan can be suspended or reactivated at any time, opening it up to hikers and travelers who want to use it only during limited periods of the year.
Starlink only launched in Australia in 2021, but was previously only available via a fixed, always-on connection.
