Blue Sky Network (Booth No. C13021) is featuring its new HawkEye 7200 portable “multi-national” satellite tracking unit, which also supports Iridium satellite communications for mobile devices.

Unveiled last month at the Helitech International helicopter expo in London, the handheld HawkEye 7200 unit with built-in antenna combines the U.S. GPS, Russian Glonass and European Galileo global navigation satellite systems in a single receiver chip to provide position reports in large parts of the world. It also incorporates a Bluetooth transceiver that provides connectivity to iPads and iPhones, allowing users to send emails, short-code messages and electronic forms through the Iridium satellite network. Blue Sky Network’s “HawkEyeLink” application provides the interface for mobile devices.

The HawkEye 7200 unit is battery-powered, but operators can also connect it to ship power through an RS-232 serial data and power port.

“What this is at its heart is a portable, Iridium-based satellite tracking system,” said Matt Cadwell, Blue Sky Network business development manager. He added that the unit quickly calibrates its position wherever it is turned on, making for a short “time-to-fix” no matter the location.

When used with Blue Sky Network’s “New SkyRouter” cloud-based web portal, the HawkEye 7200 enables global fleet tracking and resource management. The frequency of position reports can be programmed from the ground.

The HawkEye 7200 is in the process of being certified by Iridium, with deliveries expected to begin by the end of the year. Blue Sky Network, based in La Jolla, Calif., is a Tier 1 Iridium service provider, supplying Iridium-certified hardware, supporting software and satellite airtime. Blue Sky Network provides billing for the satcom system usage.