The growing demand for efficient logistics solutions is driving the development of disposable trackers. Heliot Europe relies on advanced LPWAN technologies such as Sigfox and OG-Wan to enable reliable and cost-effective tracking. These innovative solutions offer companies the opportunity to make their supply chains more transparent and secure.
Why disposable trackers?
Disposable trackers offer an uncomplicated way to monitor shipments in real time without having to retrieve the trackers. Particularly valuable or temperature-sensitive goods benefit from this technology, as it enables continuous monitoring without additional logistical effort. Typical applications are found in the pharmaceutical industry, food supply and retail, where product integrity and safety are of paramount importance.
Disposable trackers are particularly suitable for industries that ship sensitive or valuable goods. Examples include the tracking of medical shipments, perishable foodstuffs or high-value consumer goods. By combining Sigfox and OG-Wan, these trackers can be implemented worldwide in logistics chains, retail and industry. They offer a cost-effective, sustainable and reliable solution for monitoring and ensuring product quality throughout the transportation process.
This is the state of the art
By 2033, the market for disposable IoT trackers is expected to grow to 66 million devices (Link 1) mainly through LPWAN solutions such as Sigfox. Thanks to Sigfox technology, cost-efficient and low-energy monitoring can be achieved on a global scale. Heliot Europe goes one step further with the OG-Wan initiative, offering the possibility to combine multiple networks to ensure maximum coverage, even in remote regions.
Compared to other wireless technologies such as Bluetooth or WLAN, LPWAN solutions offer significant advantages for disposable trackers. While Bluetooth and WLAN have limited range and high power consumption, Sigfox and OG-Wan enable wide-area coverage with minimal power consumption. They also offer better penetration in urban and rural areas, making them ideal for global applications. Other technologies such as LTE-M or NB-IoT, while powerful, are often more expensive and complex to implement, making them less suitable for mass deployment in single-use trackers.
Heliot Europe offers a wide range of single-use tracking devices, including the SnipSense tracker. This device not only monitors the temperature, but also the condition of seals and provides regular status updates. Another example is the OG-Wan-based multi-tracker system, which enables seamless monitoring on a global scale. These devices are designed to be easy to activate and configure, allowing them to be seamlessly integrated into existing logistics processes.
Sustainability
Sustainability is a key aspect of this technology. Although the disposal of disposable trackers is a challenge, especially due to the use of lithium batteries, Heliot Europe is focusing on more environmentally friendly alternatives. With products such as the Snip & Track, which is available with lithium-free batteries, Heliot Europe is significantly reducing its environmental impact. In addition, future technologies such as the CSEM (link 2) could make disposable trackers even more sustainable. could make disposable trackers even more sustainable. These sensors use energy from the environment, such as solar or thermal radiation, to operate without batteries and further minimize the environmental footprint. Such technologies could help transform disposable trackers into even more environmentally friendly solutions.
Costs as the key to massive IoT
The cost structure of disposable trackers is a decisive factor for their widespread use. By using public LPWAN networks such as Sigfox, connectivity and operation can be ensured at minimal cost. Heliot Europe’s Snip & Track, for example, offers a battery capacity of 30mAh and can send up to 200 messages over the course of a year. These low device costs make the solution particularly attractive for mass deployment in large supply chains.
Challenges
Despite the numerous advantages, disposable trackers face a number of challenges. The environmental impact of disposing of trackers remains a significant problem, especially when using conventional lithium batteries. Heliot Europe is addressing this issue by using lithium-free batteries and developing sustainable products. Another challenge is network coverage, especially in remote or poorly served areas. This is where Heliot Europe’s OG-Wan technology comes into play, which ensures almost global coverage by integrating several LPWAN protocols, thus guaranteeing reliable communication even in hard-to-reach regions.
Conclusion
Disposable trackers based on LPWAN technology represent a pioneering solution for modern logistics and supply chain management. Using Sigfox and OG-Wan, Heliot Europe stands out as a leading provider in this field by offering cost-effective, sustainable and reliable tracking solutions. Despite existing challenges such as environmental impact and network coverage, Heliot Europe’s innovative approach and technological advancements provide robust solutions that meet the increasing demands of global markets. Companies looking for flexible and effective monitoring systems will find Heliot Europe’s LPWAN-based single-use trackers an ideal partner for optimizing their supply chains and ensuring product quality.