Globalstar
Europe Satellite Services Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar,
Inc. (NYSE MKT: GSAT) today announced that FindMy
(formerly FindMySheep), the IoT animal tracking pioneer, has cumulatively
deployed over 45,000 satellite-enabled IoT tracking collars for
safeguarding sheep, cattle and reindeer. FindMy relies on Globalstar’s
powerful, low-cost STX3 chipset and its worldwide network of
satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which deliver reliable, accurate
tracking far beyond the reach of mobile GSM and other technologies.
FindMy was originally founded to meet the needs of sheep farmers in
Norway whose flocks graze fence-free in the mountains and often range
across borders into Sweden and Finland. FindMy’s reputation is now
established internationally and today ranchers in Latin America trust
FindMy to monitor cattle.
STX3’s small size, ruggedness, long battery life, and ease of
integration, as well as its competitive price, remain key compelling
features for FindMy.
FindMy’s tracking collars communicate with Globalstar’s satellite
network to geo-fence livestock, helping farmers monitor animals to
ensure they graze only in designated areas, and to locate those which
have escaped or are injured.
With each animal worth hundreds or even thousands of Euros, losing
livestock to predators or through illness not only affects revenues but
can also have a profound impact on the quality of a farmer’s breeding
foundation for years to come.
Thanks to the rich data transmitted by the FindMy system, farmers are
empowered to manage their stock intelligently, and minimise loss due to
inadequate food or water, disease or predators. FindMy provides an
informative data trail that enables farmers to analyse where animals
that produce the best quality meat are grazing, so farmers can
proactively manage herds’ grazing for future seasons.
FindMy’s customised user interface alerts farmers and herd managers when
an animal has not moved for some time. With FindMy’s GPS data, they can
identify exactly where to go to investigate, saving valuable time and
resources. Farmers deploying the collars report a significant reduction
in animal loss, with a consequent direct positive impact on their
business.
In
October 2017, Globalstar announced that its technology is at the heart
of SaveMyReindeer, a technology solution that FindMy designed to
prevent trains from colliding with reindeer in Norway’s hinterland.
Hundreds of kilometres of Norway’s railroads, reaching inside the Arctic
Circle, traverse territories inhabited by the region’s indigenous Sami
people who keep herds of free-roaming reindeer.
Each year, trains kill about 6,500 of the region’s 600,000 reindeer,
with an estimated loss of €8.5 million of livestock. In 2016, the
Norwegian mapping authority, Kartverket, sought a solution as part
of its annual hackathon series. FindMy emerged the winner and
SaveMyReindeer was developed.
SaveMyReindeer, currently in development and testing, uses data from the
Norwegian Railway Directorate on the real-time location of each train
combined with open data from Kartverket to create a moving geo-fence
40-50 km around the train. By comparing the geo-fence area with GPS data
from FindMy collars already keeping tabs on reindeer, the system warns
train drivers when they are approaching the animals so they can take
evasive action. The reindeer owner simultaneously receives an alert on
their smartphone, giving them the opportunity to move the herd out of
harm’s way. By introducing SaveMyReindeer, fewer animals would be lost,
and the train network would suffer less disruption.
“The FindMy animal tracking platform is helping farmers ensure the best
possible health of their livestock, protecting animals from disease and
predators, and maximising herd value,” said Halvor Mjoen, Founder of
FindMy.
“Thanks to Globalstar’s ongoing commitment to IoT innovation, we will
continue to find new ways to help farmers to monitor and safeguard their
valuable animals,” he added.
About FindMy
FindMy was originally established as FindMySheep, a tracking collar
system using Globalstar technology to protect free roaming sheep.
FindMySheep deployments have since increased to over 45,000 units, with
85% worn by sheep, with the remainder protecting reindeer in Norway,
Sweden and Finland, as well as cattle herds in South America. With
hundreds of sheep going missing each year, in 2012 the Norwegian
government part-funded an initiative to track farmers’ livestock so they
could understand what is driving the disappearance of the animals and
eliminate any foul play. This funding enabled FindMy,
a Globalstar Value Added Reseller, to develop its tracking collar, with
a back-office application that enables the farmer to visualise the
whereabouts of the animals at any given time. http://findmy.no/
About Globalstar, Inc.
Globalstar is a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data
services. Customers around the world in industries such as government,
emergency management, marine, logging, oil & gas and outdoor recreation
rely on Globalstar to conduct business smarter and faster, maintain
peace of mind and access emergency personnel. Globalstar data solutions
are ideal for various asset and personal tracking, data monitoring, M2M
and IoT applications. The company’s products include mobile and fixed
satellite telephones, the innovative satellite Wi-Fi hotspot, simplex
and duplex satellite data modems, tracking devices and flexible service
packages.
For more information, visit eu.globalstar.com.
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