The UK company is an early-stage tech business with extensive experience in telecoms, hardware and embedded R&D, software and platform development.

The company is developing a low cost ‘IoT’ telematics service for data monitoring of electric propulsion boats to ensure safety, performance and reliability. Their capability is in hardware, embedded and software data platform development with particular experience in 'IoT' applications and telecommunications. 

The company has previously received grant funding from the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre (2023) to demonstrate the technology with successful deployment. Existing clients in marine telematics are accelerating the capability in remote sensing using new generation satellite networks, with increasing interest in ‘direct to cell’ capability.

The company anticipates the application of 5G non terrestrial network (NTN) services for marine applications to be a key enabler of new telematic services. With electric propulsion proving to be a viable alternative, the forecast is for this technology to be an enabler for successful boat builders and propulsion system manufacturers. They are also investigating associated applications for offshore wind infrastructure, autonomous boats, marine sensing and fisheries management. All these applications have got the potential to benefit from seamless 5G services enabled by the UK company's technology. For example, existing boat monitoring systems may use Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or 2/3/4G. Often these are simple data logging services that connect to the user onboard the boat or utilise unreliable networks. Boat monitoring apps are typically limited to voltage or status monitoring and do not provide the extent of data logging or analysis that electric propulsion requires. 

The company seeks to fill the gap in this fast-growing market segment with a reliable seamless service. To deploy this technology and enable the development of their application to operate globally, they require access to low cost 5G NTN satellite communication services that operates inshore, offshore and deep ocean. This cooperation project is expected to be delivered under a commercial agreement with technical assistance: the partner will supply the 5G NTN service and assist the UK company to further develop, adapt and integrate their equipment and data platform.

The partner will have access and expertise in 5G Non-terrestrial networks satellite networks that are early stage or deployed. 

They will bring the technical knowledge to integrate relevant terminal modems with the UK company's system. Preferably with module or system chip provision that they can integrate into their hardware, and relevant firmware interfaces for embedded integration.

• Expertise with algorithms and interfaces to access and utilise the communication service. Data algorithm development to aid performance of communication is expected, which may lead to development of novel intellectual property.
• Access to documented interface specifications as required and support from internal engineering resources as may be needed.
• The capacity to support with further development of the technology and help with relevant trials.

5G supported data rates may vary by location affecting the application requirements so knowledge-sharing on network performance is required.   One part of the project will involve testing roaming performance between terrestrial 5G and satellite 5G networks in local and international regions. 

Vessel operation is expected to generate high volumes of onboard data which will require local processing to identify and store relevant or critical information. Machine Learning or Artificial Intelligence technology and expertise would be useful in processing onboard data as part of the communication and analytics pathway.  

The partner may also be a satellite operator who can provide assistance in working with telecom partners for trial and future market entry.  

This cooperation project is expected to be delivered under a commercial agreement with technical assistance: the partner will supply the 5G NTN service and assist the UK company to further develop, adapt and integrate their equipment and data platform.

The collaboration will entail a technical compliance agreement to authorise the UK company's developed system to operate on the partner's supplied satellite network. 

The partner will also be expected to bring necessary technical support to develop the proposed vessel monitoring system.

A future option to collaborate to resell the developed system as a preferred supplier can be considered if applicable.