Pay as You Go Vessel and Fleet Tracking with New RockFLEET Tracking System

Rock Seven launches global fleet management and messaging system with no annual contract, based on an innovative, ultra-compact tracking unit.

Rock Seven, the established manufacturer of Iridium-based satellite tracking & communication systems and airtime provider has launched its next generation solution for tracking merchant and offshore vessels. With no annual contract and Pay As You Go use, RockFLEET is designed to simplify and reduce the cost of single vessel and entire fleet tracking, supporting shipowners to increase safety and efficiency through improved fleet management.

Rock Seven has used its experience as an established developer of reliable, accurate tracking solutions for maritime, defence, government and aerospace customers to design an advanced new tracking unit for the professional maritime environment. Completely waterproof and with no moving parts, the RockFLEET unit is a robust, ultra-compact (13cm diameter / 4cm high) device with multiple mounting options.

RockFLEET is the only device of its kind with an internal battery back-up, so can continue to transmit position for up to two weeks if external power is cut. With facility to mount covertly, this makes it especially suitable for vessels traversing piracy hotspots. Other innovations include Machine to Machine (M2M) data capability, Bluetooth connectivity for iOS and Android devices, which enables system set-up and configuration, and text messaging over Iridium. Crew can purchase credits to use RockFLEET for messaging on their own devices for an extremely low-cost way to contact friends and family on shore.

Operating on the Iridium network, specifically using the ‘Short Data Burst’ (SBD) capability, RockFLEET provides pole-to-pole global coverage on a Pay As You Go basis. With no annual contract required, the user only pays for the months the system is in use and pre-purchases credits for transmitting tracking positions. An optional module enables RockFLEET to switch automatically to GSM services when in range, providing further cost savings.

RockFLEET obtains a position using the GPS satellite network and then transmits that position at user-defined intervals. A single location transmission uses a single pre-paid credit, which can cost less than 3p, making the RockFLEET approach to tracking extremely cost-effective. Tracking data is viewed on the Rock Seven fleet management platform, The Core, or on the user’s own fleet management system. The CORE fleet management platform is a secure, user friendly web-based tracking service that can be used standalone or integrated with a user’s own fleet management system using an open API.

“RockFLEET introduces a number of new features that when combined, make it a highly capable yet cost-effective and flexible option for global fleet management,” says Nick Farrell, Director, Rock Seven. “With no requirement for an annual contract, and very low costs per location transmission, RockFLEET gives fleet managers a low-cost, easy-to-deploy solution for delivering improved global logistics and fleet efficiency, whilst at the same time introducing functionality for crew messaging and M2M applications.”