Actility announce the acquisition of API-K, a technology startup founded in Grenoble specializing in outdoor geo-security. Prior to this acquisition, API-K and Abeeway, a 100% subsidiary of Actility, had already been collaborating for years on the design of equipment and low-power IoT LoRaWAN® networks for ski resorts.

Revolutionizing Rescue Operations

API-K has developed a revolutionary search and rescue technology that increases the effective search radius by 2 orders of magnitude compared to existing technology. Air rescue teams can detect the signal from API-K’s Personal Location Beacon (PLB) up to 10 km away. Unlike existing systems that rely on expensive and hard-to-integrate equipment, the API-K geo-location detector is lightweight, portable, and weighs less than 100 g. It can be carried in any type of aircraft or drone without complex integration.

This technology significantly reduces recovery time: if the person being searched for is within the search radius around their last known position, a helicopter will be able to fly over them within minutes, even if they are buried under snow. API-K detectors are already deployed with French air rescue teams (PGHM), making recovery possible anywhere in France for users of the API-K PLB.

“The Personal Locator Beacon allows for very effective detection and location, even outside any telecom network coverage. Anyone equipped with an API-K/Abeeway PLB in France can now be found by the PGHM following a call from a relative to 112,”

says Olivier FAVRE, head of the Mountain Safety Innovation Unit of the High-Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon (PGHM).

Successful Collaboration and Future Integration

In the future, API-K will be integrated into Abeeway and will expand the group’s portfolio of patents and location technologies. Actility, Abeeway, and the API-K team aim to integrate API-K’s PLB technology into leading outdoor brands’ products through licensing and to equip more rescue organizations and emergency response teams with the API-K detection system. This prospect is welcomed by API-K’s customers and partners.

“Courchevel is happy to continue ensuring the safety of its ski area and the movement of motorized vehicles with technology developed by API-K, while also ensuring the possibility of evolving its collaboration to the specific needs of the resort.”

Beyond the mountain world, Actility and Abeeway also intend to expand the application of the technology to securing natural parks, maritime rescue, and recovering stolen assets.

Mr. Hersent, founder of the Actility group, commented:

“The safety of people is, of course, a primary concern, and every minute is precious when it comes to locating and rescuing a missing person. In this context, API-K’s very long-range Personal Locator Beacon technology already enable air rescue units to locate beacon carriers even when the last known position is only within a 10 km radius. We will work to make API-K technology the new standard for outdoor geo-security, but also more generally for aerial and terrestrial Search & Rescue (SAR).”

Nicolas Sornin and François Sforza, founders of API-K, reflect on the journey:

“Since our invention of LoRa®, we have worked tirelessly to extend IoT networks across entire countries and even into space. Despite this, emergencies can occur when the network is not available. With API-K’s peer-to-peer location technology, rescue teams no longer need to spend hours in the sky searching for a tiny point on the ground. The long-range LoRa® signal becomes a life-saving technology, and it is one of our most meaningful achievements. We are delighted that our long-time partner Actility wants to further develop this technology.”

Actility (LPWAN) industrial-grade connectivity solutions for the Internet of Things. Actility provides its ThingPark™ platform and network technology to deploy, operate and maintain public and private wireless IoT networks within a unified, scalable and versatile network infrastructure. The vast majority of nationwide LoRaWAN® network service providers (over 50) and hundreds of enterprises trust ThingPark™ all over the world. Visit: actility.com

APIK offers products and services to secure outdoor leisure and professional activities. Our offers are based on 3 axes: – find: Their solutions built around KIP make it possible to be located, to alert, but above all to be found in any place and in any circumstances; – deploy: to cover specific security needs, They deploy LoRaWAN networks in outdoor territories; – innovate: Their lab contributes to Open Source projects, supports makers in search of specific uses with multiple technological bricks, and studies your projects with interest. Visit: api-k.com

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Source: actility.com