European Consortium Completes Demonstration of IoT Platform

A consortium led by exactEarth Europe and comprising OceanWise, UK Satellite Applications Catapult, Pole Star Space Applications and TeamSurv has completed the demonstration of a global maritime machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet-of-Things (IoT) platform/service. The project was funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) Integrated Applications Promotion Programme.

The innovative global M2M/IOT data service known as ‘Automatic Identification System (AIS) Sensor Network Service’ (A-SeNS) uses Application Specific Messaging (ASM) and exactEarth's standard vessel tracking satellite constellation to upload sensor data from users’ remote maritime assets in real time.

In the demonstration, data retrieval from navigational aids installed at a UK port and sensors set up on two work boats were both successfully tested, with trials partners accessing data in real-time for ingestion into their own information platforms.

Mike Osborne, MD of OceanWise, said the company is already using AIS to broadcast tide and weather data to vessels at sea under IMO Message 8, either from monitoring stations directly or via OceanWise’s Environmental Data Sharing and Publishing platform, Port-Log. A-SeNS has allowed them to extend the use of this technology to incorporate an additional data telemetry channel, thus providing the potential to include stations in more remote geographic areas and in countries where traditional satellite communications have been cost prohibitive.