Rendering of Iridium’s constellation. Photo: Iridium

Iridium debuted two new products this week — a smaller, more powerful IoT module, and Iridium Certus GMDSS for maritime safety communications. 

The Iridium Certus GMDSS combines Global Maritime Distress and Safety System with the Iridium Certus broadband solution Iridium Certus terminals can now deliver GMDSS, long range identification and tracking (LRIT), and ship security alert system (SSAS) capabilities through a single antenna. Lars Thrane, Cobham Satcom, Intellian, and Thales are rolling out terminals with these capabilities. 

“The combination of GMDSS, LRIT and SSAS with companion services for Ku and Ka-band broadband systems into a single terminal delivers unprecedented safety and cost savings for a vessel’s hybrid communications system,” the company said in a news release. 

Iridium launched its own GMDSS service in 2020 to compete with Inmarsat, the only other company authorized to provide GMDSS service. 

Separately, Iridium also launched a new IoT module, Iridium Certus 9704, geared toward IoT applications that require real-time data analysis, analytics, and automated decision-making. Iridium reported that this module is 34% smaller than the Iridium 9603, 79% smaller than the Iridium 9602, and has an 83% reduction in idle power consumption compared to both.

This new module is intended to simplify data transfer requirements for use cases like predictive maintenance, diagnostics, telemetry monitoring, remote asset tracking, and command and control for uncrewed aircraft, vehicles and vessels. It can also send larger-sized data messages that can be used for remote sensing applications protecting wildlife, detecting wildfires and flooding, and personal safety devices.