Satellite-enabled communication specialist Krucial has announced its cutting-edge new technology which will make it possible for operators to remotely obtain mission-critical feeding and environmental information they need from anywhere on earth.
Using the new solution, fish farmers can get a continuous video stream from pens in areas even with no cellular connectivity or power and feed individual pens remotely using their desktop or mobile based on the insights received. Using the latest satellite technology, with auto adjusting flat panel antennas, means that barge movement does not impact the technology’s usability, offering an advantage over ‘line of sight’ solutions. If a farm is off the west coast of Scotland or Ireland, for example, and the operator is onshore or even thousands of miles away, they’ll be able to monitor fish behavior continuously and feed with the click of a button.
The latest addition to Connected Seafarm provides the final piece of what is now a complete solution that incorporates remote feeding enablement, algae detection, environmental monitoring, barge telemetry and asset condition management. Krucial is now looking to work with partners to pilot the new technology in the field.
Currently, poor connectivity on many fish farms makes remotely understanding fish behavior challenging. This can impact decisions around exactly how much feed to distribute to sustain fish and maximize their welfare while minimizing waste. Krucial’s solution will enable farmers to feed remotely from anywhere on earth—meaning during extreme weather or when other tasks come up, staff resource can be optimized. Given the significant cost of feed to the sector, the ability to optimize feeding can contribute to cost savings as well as the management of ocean impact.
Kevin Quillien, Co-founder and CTO of Krucial, said: “This is a huge step forward for Krucial and our offering to the aquaculture industry. We are confident that with our new capabilities we are providing fish farmers with the ultimate tool in understanding what’s happening at their farms—ranging from fish behavior to water quality to equipment conditions.
“Farmers can now sit at home or in the office, with all the information they need at their fingertips to take quick action that boosts efficiency and sustainability and reduces risk - even at their most remote and inaccessible sites.
“Aquaculture is on a mission to feed the world sustainably and this tool makes that job much easier, saving the industry time and money while benefitting the environment. We are looking forward to working with early adopters in the coming months.”
The new solution will transmit high bandwidth video data over cellular or satellite, whichever is available. If the primary satellite fails, a secondary satellite kicks in to maximize resilience. This means that even in extreme weather or further offshore, where connectivity has traditionally been an obstacle, farmers still have an overview of their operations and can still feed remotely.
