Businesses that pair the IIoT and satellites are setting themselves up for a bright future. Check out these five reasons you should integrate the two.
For years, industry experts have anticipated the inevitable marriage of satellite connectivity and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). However, with billions of devices already connected and generating data, the fact remains that some areas of the world still lack a stable connection and must rely on satellites for safety and efficiency.
But what do satellite-powered IIoT capabilities look like exactly? And what are some motives behind pairing the two?
Here are five reasons you might integrate satellite communications with IIoT.
1. You’ll Gain a Competitive Edge
Satellite communications allow businesses to connect devices and sensors in the field, access edge data, and increase operational efficiency. In remote or low-connectivity areas, this provides businesses with crucial data faster than ever before.
Agriculture is just one example of how a business can thrive in a competitive industry. Thanks to the IIoT and automation in agriculture, which monitor soil levels and increase crop yields, farming operations of all sizes are working to ensure populations around the globe have access to healthy, affordable food.
2. It Costs Less Than You Might Think
It used to be that enterprises needing remote capabilities had no choice but to pay for costly satellites. But that’s no longer the case.
Thanks to innovation and strategic partnerships, businesses can expect low-cost satellite connectivity to power IIoT products globally, with cost savings between four and 20 times what they once might have paid.
We can attribute these savings to several developments. For example, it’s easier now to integrate satellites with existing infrastructure. With 100 percent global coverage, companies that need satellite power can get up and running quickly. These lower costs do not mean a dropoff in quality or a frustrating ramp-up experience, either.
Reduced staffing costs at remote worksites and fewer workplace injuries also decrease expenses and improve operational efficiency.
3. Real-Time Monitoring Keeps Your Assets Safe
Whether it’s cybercrime or physical pilfering, the risk of theft is always a reality when unmanned customer systems are in operation. Satellite communications integrated with IIoT, however, offer a deep layer of protection.
This is just one advantage of IIoT real-time monitoring, which procures immense amounts of data. Satellites deliver information about your devices wherever you need it around the globe. In this way, IIoT capabilities powered by satellites offer business owners an insurance policy and peace of mind.
4. Predictive Maintenance Means Less Downtime
Another benefit of real-time monitoring is fewer workflow disruptions, which pose a significant hindrance to pretty much all industries that operate remotely or rely heavily on automation.
According to GE, offshore oil rigs lose $49 million a year due to unplanned downtime. Similarly, delays in industrial manufacturing cost as much as $50 million per year, according to Forbes.
Predictive maintenance (another component of satellite-powered IIoT) delivers prompt assessments of remote operations, giving business leaders critical insights about the health and performance of their devices. These machines also monitor for servicing and repairs, which can mitigate downtime if (or when) those needs arrive.
5. The Satellite and IIoT Market Will Continue to Grow
The future is bright for the IIoT, as functionalities that allow enterprises to track data and make decisions from afar—once considered mere possibilities—are quickly becoming industry norms and the intelligent way to do business. Current innovations point to how endless the possibilities truly are.
Simply put, Industry 4.0 will become the new norm, and businesses that fail to adapt may struggle to keep up. (According to Harvard Business School, the IIoT will be a $738 billion industry by 2025.)
It’s become a common adage to say that data is king, but the software that extracts that data is the actual engine that keeps your enterprise running smoothly. For business owners, it comes down to consistency, which IIoT powered by satellite connectivity provides.
Contact us today to learn more about how FreeWave’s innovative technology marries the IIoT and powerful satellites around the globe.
Designed, manufactured and tested in the USA.