Satellite Connectivity in IoT Solutions | Iridium's Ian Itz | Internet of Things Podcast

IoT For All Podcast · 13 Feb 2024 · 25m · Episode 331

What this episode covers

Ian Itz, Director of Iridium’s IoT Line of Business, explains how Iridium’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation provides global, low-power connectivity for IoT devices in remote areas where terrestrial networks fail. He discusses the differentiation between satellite providers based on constellation architecture, highlighting Iridium’s 66-satellite network’s reliability for safety-of-life applications like Garmin inReach and GMDSS. Itz also outlines key growth sectors such as precision agriculture, mining, and environmental monitoring, while noting challenges like high costs and the industry’s shift toward standardized, multi-radio modules to drive mass adoption.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Over the Air · 27m

    Satellite Iot: Space-Based Connectivity Solutions With Oli Potter

    Oliver Potter, COO of Ground Control, explains how satellite IoT bridges the connectivity gap for assets in remote maritime, renewable energy, and climate monitoring applications where cellular coverage is absent. He details the evolution from expensive geostationary satellites to cost-effective Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, highlighting the industry's shift toward standardized protocols like 3GPP Narrowband IoT to enable cheaper, interoperable hardware. Potter emphasizes that successful deployment requires rigorous data compression and edge AI to manage the high cost and power constraints of space-based transmission, ensuring long-term reliability for critical infrastructure like wildfire detection and tsunami warning systems.

  • Over the Air · 22m

    From Closed to Open Source: Revolutionizing the Satellite Industry with Ian Itz, Director of IoT at Iridium

    Ian Itz, Director of IoT at Iridium, explains the company's strategic pivot from a proprietary, closed-ecosystem satellite model to an open-source, standards-based approach leveraging Arduino and NB-IoT. He details how Iridium's legacy 66-satellite constellation supports global IoT data, noting that their previous 'Swiss army knife' modules were over-engineered for developers, prompting a shift to simpler, open-standard hardware. Itz also discusses the high capital barriers of satellite infrastructure, contrasting Iridium's narrowband focus with Starlink's broadband model, and highlights partners like Geoforce who build robust, long-life asset tracking devices for the oil and gas industry.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 07m

    An Interview with Maarten Engelen

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  • Over the Air · 22m

    Building A Low-cost Satellite IoT Solution

    Alastair Williamson, CEO of Wyld Networks, explains how his company created an affordable satellite IoT solution by combining LoRaWAN technology with low-earth orbit satellites to enable global connectivity. He details the 'beaconing' mechanism that keeps sensors in sleep mode for 2-5 years on battery power, allowing data collection in areas without terrestrial coverage. Williamson highlights key use cases in precision agriculture, such as soil moisture monitoring to reduce water waste, and industrial applications like monitoring oil pipe corrosion for Chevron. He also discusses the company's roadmap to launch its commercial service in late 2022 and expand into carbon sequestration monitoring.

  • The Electromaker Show · 33m

    Brandon Satrom Returns! Blues SVP talks Starnote, and cheap Satellite Communication!

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