Operating fleets across Australia and New Zealand often means working beyond the reach of mobile networks. Whether you’re managing vehicles in remote mining operations, outback pastoral stations, or rugged field service environments, maintaining visibility and communication is critical for safety and operational efficiency.

For decades, satellite technology has bridged the gap. But today, a new generation of satellite constellations is redefining what’s possible.

How Satellite Technology Supports Your Fleet

Satellite systems in fleet management typically serve two key functions:

1. Pinpointing location with GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a constellation of satellites orbiting Earth that continually broadcast timing signals. GPS-enabled devices in your vehicles receive these signals and calculate their position with remarkable accuracy. This allows you to:

• Track vehicles in real time
• Monitor routes and utilisation
• Support safety systems like duress alerts and rollover detection

2. Transmitting data and communication
When vehicles operate in areas with no mobile coverage, satellites also handle communication. Historically, this has relied on geostationary (GEO) satellites positioned 35,786 km above the equator. GEO satellites offer broad coverage, but can suffer from latency and occasional line-of-sight limitations.

Today, that landscape is changing fast.

The Rise of New Satellite Constellations

New low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks—like Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper—are revolutionising connectivity. Instead of a handful of large satellites parked high above the Earth, these constellations use thousands of smaller satellites orbiting at altitudes as low as 550 km. This shift has major benefits for fleet operators:

• Lower Latency: LEO satellites provide near-instantaneous data transmission, supporting applications like live video feeds, real-time telematics, and even voice-over-IP communications.
• Higher Bandwidth: Modern constellations can deliver speeds comparable to broadband, enabling richer data and advanced cloud-based fleet management tools.
• Greater Resilience: With so many satellites in constant motion, the system automatically hands off communication to the best available satellite, improving reliability in challenging terrain.

Starlink, in particular, has already begun providing services in Australia and New Zealand, with coverage expanding rapidly across rural and remote regions.

Blending Technologies for Total Visibility

While LEO constellations are the new and exciting topic, most fleet operations still rely on a hybrid approach, mixing proven and established networks, with experimental expansion into new LEO constellations:

• GPS satellites for location tracking
• Cellular networks where available for cost-effective data transfer
• Satellite communications—either GEO or LEO—when out of mobile range

This combination ensures vehicles remain visible and connected no matter where the job takes them.

What It Means for Your Business

Adopting modern satellite communication can improve:

• Driver safety: Always-on duress alerts and two-way communication. Learn more about Smartrak’s Safety Solutions.
• Asset utilisation: Continuous tracking and monitoring. See how Fleet Tracking helps you get the most out of your assets.
• Operational efficiency: Access to real-time data from the most remote sites. Explore Operational Efficiency solutions.

At Smartrak, we’re closely watching the evolution of satellite technology and integrating these innovations into our fleet solutions to help you stay connected and safe everywhere you and your team operate.