CANADIAN satellite AIS tracking company ExactEarth can now boast 18 satellites in services with 10 more due for launch in the coming months all focused on vessel tracking and monitoring. AIS, the automatic identification system demanded by IMO regulations, is the mandatory signal sent continuously from all vessels over 300gt and consists of name, location and time.
The Toronto-listed, Cambridge, Ontario-based company said the increase in satellite numbers, a doubling from nine, significantly reduces latency rates in data supply down to one minute, which it claims is crucial for the provision of real-time data, for increased security, safety and resource management.
The additional 10 satellites were launched as part of the December 2017 Iridium Next payload, and are currently going through commissioning and testing ahead of coming online.
In total ExactEarth, and a US partner company, Harris, are building satellite based monitoring and tracking system that will be part of 60 satellite payloads. The system exactView RT, allows for AIS signal pick-up, but also other vessel-based VHF data services.
Iridium NEXT is Iridium’s new constellation of 66 low earth orbiting satellites currently being deployed (There’s actually 75 satellites being launched with 66 in the linked network).
ExactEarth believes it now has the quickest and most accurate commercial satellite AIS data service, however ity retains a serious competitor in Orbcomm, the US-listed service provider that launched and positioned its second generation low-orbit satellites in 2016. As well as offering AIS services both companies are active in the machine to machine and IOT markets for ocean industries.
Fathom-News.com
