Satellite IoT has a wide range of applications. Here’s our guide to where, when and how
it can be deployed.
Who uses satellite IoT?
Satellite communication technology can be used to connect IoT devices located in remote or underserved geographical areas. This makes it especially useful for industries like agriculture, maritime, logistics and environmental monitoring.
How does satellite IoT work?
Satellite IoT leverages Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites to facilitate global connectivity, ensuring that IoT devices can communicate and relay data wherever they are.
What are the advantages of satellite IoT?
The main advantage of using satellite IoT is that it enables you to connect IoT devices in locations where you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. Unlike terrestrial networks, satellite IoT provides connectivity across oceans, deserts and other remote regions. This means that satellite IoT can extend your IoT networks to enable global coverage.
In addition, satellite IoT systems can offer advantages in terms of reliability. And, of course, satellite networks are less affected by on-ground natural disasters or infrastructure failures when compared to terrestrial networks.
What are the disadvantages of satellite IoT?
The main drawbacks around satellite IoT are cost, latency and integration. First of all, satellite IoT can be more expensive than terrestrial IoT solutions.
Then, depending on the satellite type, there may be delays in data transmission. That’s because they can sometimes be affected by weather conditions and simple geographical coverage.
Finally, combining satellite IoT with existing terrestrial networks can be complex, making
integration difficult.
What are the communication protocols used in satellite IoT applications?
Satellite IoT can run over a number of different spectrums, including unlicensed bands for LoRa® (8686 MHz and 915 Mhz), the licensed spectrum for NTN NB IoT (band 255 or L band and band 256 or S band), various VHF players, the unlicensed band for Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) and the licensed 400 MHz.
The protocols used should be able to handle the higher latencies inherent in satellite communication, especially for geostationary satellites. Protocols like LoRaWAN are adapted for satellite IoT to enable long-range, low-power communication.
Since satellite communication is prone to signal degradation, protocols should incorporate robust error correction mechanisms to ensure data integrity.
Given these issues, it’s worth noting that the devices might also need to allow for some kind of data compression. This way, to optimise bandwidth usage, data can be compressed before transmission, thereby reducing the amount of information needed to be sent via satellite.
Does using satellite IoT connectivity affect the type of IoT devices that can be connected?
Of course, the devices must be enabled to connect to satellite IoT communication protocols. In addition, the devices might also require specialised antennas to communicate effectively with satellites. This may involve directional or omnidirectional designs, depending on the application.
Although the power consumption of the devices is not directly affected by the satellite connection, many satellite IoT devices are designed to operate on minimal power. That’s because satellite IoT devices are designed to operate in remote areas where power sources are limited. As a result, they are designed to consume minimal energy, often relying on solar power or long-lasting batteries. This makes them more suitable for long-term deployments.
For the same reason of limited access to the devices, maintenance must also be kept to a minimum. This means satellite IoT devices must be designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures, humidity or vibrations. This necessitates rugged and weather-resistant designs.
