Summary
- Profile Type
- Technology request
- POD Reference
- TRGB20241111016
- Term of Validity
- 12 November 2024 - 12 November 2025
- Company's Country
- United Kingdom
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
- Targeted Countries
- All countries
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General information
- Short Summary
- A UK company developing telematics service for data monitoring of electric propulsion boats wishes to partner with a supplier of 5G NTN satellite communication systems to integrate with their equipment and data platform. The development project will test connection performance around the UK and the Atlantic. They seek to achieve this under a commercial agreement with technical assistance.
- Full Description
-
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. - Advantages and Innovations
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The core innovation of the application is the use of satellite 5G NTN services to enable global seamless connectivity in marine environments.
The application of boat electric propulsion significantly increases the technical requirements in implementing a satisfactory solution. This new application scenario creates a new product category opportunity in an evolving market segment.
Existing monitoring solutions may use Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or land based cellular connectivity. The use of cellular is shown to be problematic due to poor signal performance and also roaming contract performance, particularly where there is poor or no vendor support to users and local service resellers. This has resulted in poor user experience and negative market perception.
The UK company's technology will offer a new solution to poor connectivity in marine environments: wherever the boat anchors and wherever it sails, the need is to reliably and continuously monitor the propulsion status and performance.
The data analytics' need for boat propulsion systems is more significant in scope and value. It is likely that marine regulation and insurance will require continuous monitoring to ensure the vessel safety during operation and at mooring.
Vessel manufacturers are also likely to provide (and insist) on monitoring systems to provide engineering services, to support warranty provision and for brand protection.
Vessel monitoring services are adapting from an ‘optional extra’ to a core product need. This increases expectations from marine brands and from boat operators of superior performance from these systems compared to existing products. The UK company's system addresses all these needs and expectations. - Stage of Development
- Under development
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Goal 14: Life Below Water
- IPR description
-
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.
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
-
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. - Type and Size of Partner
- SME <=10
- Big company
- SME 11-49
- SME 50 - 249
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 01006005 - Network Technology, Network Security
- 01006003 - Mobile Communications
- 01006008 - Satellite Technology/Positioning/Communication in GPS
- 01004003 - Applications for Transport and Logistics
- Market keywords
- 01004007 - Network test, monitoring and support equipment
- 01005001 - Satellite services/carriers/operators
- 01004008 - Other data communications
- Sector Groups Involved
- Electronics
- Maritime Industries and Services
- Digital
- Targeted countries
- All countries