Sateliot, in collaboration with Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), the South African NGO celebrating its 50th year of operations, has finalised an agreement aimed at deploying 5G IoT sensors on vultures. This partnership signifies a significant step forward in safeguarding endangered species and combating poaching in Africa.
The collaboration extends 5G satellite coverage to NGOs like EWT, seamlessly facilitated through standard roaming with existing Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). This eliminates the need for additional satellite user equipment, allowing NGOs to leverage the same terrestrial standard used by Mobile Operators to expand their operational reach.
Connectivity for IoT in remote areas has long been a challenge, particularly in regions where much of the Earth’s biodiversity is located. With this agreement, EWT will benefit from true global connectivity at no extra cost, enabling massive deployments of IoT devices and enhancing their current operations.
Illegal trade has resulted in thousands of vultures being poisoned across Africa, endangering populations and driving them rapidly towards extinction. To address this threat, EWT has developed a pioneering rapid poisoning detection system called “Eye in the Sky,” harnessing the natural behaviour of vultures and GPS-tracking technology.
Alison Janicke, EWT’s Head of Business Development, expressed gratitude for Sateliot’s support, emphasising its significant impact on their organisation’s conservation efforts. Janicke highlighted that the financial relief provided by Sateliot will allow them to allocate funds to critical conservation work and spare time spent on fundraising.
Gianluca Redolfi, CCO at Sateliot, envisions a future where satellite connectivity revolutionises NGO engagement in conservation efforts. By harnessing Sateliot’s advanced capacity allocation techniques, NGOs can access free satellite capacity during specific time slots and locations, ensuring efficient data transmission and maximising impact on the ground.