Sending Data from the Middle of the Ocean: Taking Full Advantage of Satellite Communications

April 26, 2016

Have you ever been stuck in the middle of nowhere and had to make a phone call or send a text message, but you couldn’t get a strong enough signal? Imagine trying to send that message from the middle of the ocean!


Establishing a reliable connection between an offshore monitoring system and its end-user can be a challenge, but luckily telemetry systems are constantly improving and evolving. By taking advantage of the latest technologies, AXYS customers can have consistent access to real-time data while keeping their monthly bill low.

For example: In an ongoing vessel motion study being conducted off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, a network of three TRIAXYS buoys is collecting detailed scientific wave data. The data is sent from the buoys by IsatDataPro, a low data rate service for machine-to-machine communication, over the Inmarsat satellite network. Buoy data is received and handled by the cloud-based AXYS-APS server, which also monitors for alert conditions such as water intrusion, location changes, and low system voltage.

AXYS-APSFrom on-board a vessel at sea, or from an office on shore, any study participant with internet access can log into AXYS-APS and view their system data. AXYS-APS runs on a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Chrome so no specialized software is required.

Need a back-up? We’ve got you covered. To support data in low-bandwidth or increased security environments, data can be forwarded via email or FTP, a standard network protocol used to transfer files between a client and server. Data can also be obtained via direct connection to the buoy using either Bluetooth or UHF/VHF radio.


Contributor: Nick Gubby