HARDWARIO and DeltaVue: Satellite monitoring of infrastructure from Arctic roads to Brazilian mines

HARDWARIO develops robust IoT hardware and firmware for industrial deployment in challenging environments. The CHESTER platform offers flexibility, programmability, and long-term field reliability.

DeltaVue integrates IoT devices with satellite communications, providing secure data pipelines and dashboards. As an official Iridium Satellite Technology Development Partner, it specializes in remote area monitoring where mobile networks don’t exist. Their clientele includes governments, military, research teams, construction, and mining operations.

Monitoring Beyond Cellular Coverage

DeltaVue created an erosion monitoring sensor for the Government of Canada contract. This system watches coastal and riverbanks, slopes, and road infrastructure in Arctic regions critical for connecting remote communities to supply centers.

Traditional approaches required technicians to travel hundreds or thousands of kilometers for site visits. Maintenance logistics posed even greater challenges - difficult access, lengthy repair periods, and equipment failures necessitated repeated trips, increasing costs and delays.

System Architecture

The basis consists of CHESTER as the data collection unit. It communicates via Bluetooth with the Iridium Edge Solar unit for satellite transmission.

Data Flow

• Sensors measure terrain changes
• CHESTER collects and transmits data via Bluetooth to the satellite unit
• Iridium network sends the message to cloud
• Data transfers securely to DeltaVue’s dashboard or API

Sensor Components

• Tilt sensors for soil inclination measurement
• Ultrasonic rangefinders for distance and erosion monitoring
• Magnetic proximity switches
• 1-Wire interface connected sensors

Power System

The configuration combines an internal NiMH battery optimized for extreme cold, external backup battery, and 5W solar panel - designed to operate through months of Arctic darkness.

Extreme Temperature Performance

Successful satellite communication was documented at -48.8 degrees Celsius, demonstrating hardware reliability where extreme cold typically causes electronic failure, particularly in battery-operated systems. The system continues functioning as winter 2026 progresses.

Impact Without Continuous Monitoring

Without real-time surveillance, infrastructure managers can only respond after damage becomes visible or roads close. In Arctic regions lacking cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity, satellite monitoring provides essential situational awareness.

Road closures create disruptions beyond technical concerns - they interrupt supply routes, restrict traffic, and generate significant economic and safety impacts. Alternative routes often don’t exist.

Satellite-enabled early warnings allow authorities to act proactively, addressing risks before failures or accidents occur. This enables targeted repairs at early stages, reducing emergency interventions, preventing major damage, and delivering substantial long-term cost savings.

Future Development: AI Integration

DeltaVue is expanding its system to transfer data directly to artificial intelligence language models via API, enabling intelligent data querying and advanced trend analysis. Users will eventually ask questions like “Has there been an unusual tilt trend in this location in the last three weeks?” with the system responding based on historical data.

Brazilian Mining Application

Based on Canadian experience, DeltaVue is preparing a pilot project for slope stability monitoring at Vale Mining in Brazil. The principle remains identical - detecting minor slope or soil movement changes before major landslides occur.

Environmental conditions differ dramatically: instead of extreme cold, the terrain experiences high temperatures and heavy rainfall. However, robustness and flexibility requirements persist.

According to the DeltaVue team: “CHESTER’s extensive sensor capability, combined with the global reach of the Iridium network, allows DeltaVue to provide reliable data from the most remote and hostile environments on Earth, from the Arctic to the tropics.”