Feature: Sensor technology
IoT use-case considerations
Cost v benefit Tere is a danger that the cost of providing IoT services will be greater than the value the service it delivers. Tis is especially true for the collection of small, low-value data such as temperature, humidity, water level, soil moisture, and so on. Not that this data is unimportant, but it must be more valuable than the cost of its collection and processing. End users are looking at cost per
message or cost per kilobyte, and making decisions on the most commercially- viable models. Geo-satellites excel at delivering higher data volumes and faster more-actionable data, but there is a new opportunity for LEO satellites to offer low- data-rate IoT connectivity for the Earth’s entire surface at low cost. Perceptions of satellites as a costly,
Agrology's Full Solution with a screenshot
deployment of sensors needed to digitise the world affordably and quickly. To establish a truly connected planet
we need ubiquitous coverage for massive IoT deployments. The only way to do this practically is to complement terrestrial networks with satellite connectivity. As a result, there is an accelerating race to space and the IoT is undergoing a shift in scale as it moves to global low-power connectivity via satellites. Satellite connections for the IoT can be
delivered via low earth orbit (LEO), mid- earth orbit (MEO) and geosynchronous or geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites. With few commercial MEO constellations available, most IoT connectivity is currently provided through either GEO or LEO satellites. GEO satellites are expensive to build,
launch and operate, and generally require relatively expensive hardware with high power consumption – the grid, large solar installations, generators or battery
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equipment. In contrast, LEO satellites are more affordable to build, launch and maintain, and can be reached with very low power, such as two AA lithium batteries or a small solar cell. Also, the hardware is small and inexpensive.
Satellite map for an agricultural application
luxury connectivity method are changing as the cost per kilobyte decreases in line with the increased need to digitise. So, whether data is nice to have or crucial, and needed for long-term analysis or short- term critical functions, satellite IoT is radically expanding the options. From identifying leakage of an oil
pipeline to reporting the impact of low soil moisture levels, collecting data from remote locations is delivering compelling value propositions. On a day-to-day basis, knowing that a system is working and gathering its critical data via satellite could negate the need for site visits and
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