Picture an offshore wind farm 50 miles from shore, or a rewilding project deep in the Scottish Highlands. These are places where vital data is waiting to be collected. Yet conventional networks can’t reach.
skentel developed its latest innovation, the RS485 Anywhere, to solve these connectivity challenges. By integrating EchoStar Mobile’s EM2050 dual-mode satellite IoT module, it transforms RS485 sensors into truly connected devices, ensuring data flows reliably, no matter how remote the setting.
In this blog, we take a closer look at how the RS485 Anywhere works, its key features, and the real-world applications it unlocks.
What is the RS485 Anywhere?
skentel has more than 16 years’ experience helping organisations monitor and manage assets in hard-to-reach locations. Its latest innovation, the RS485 Anywhere, tackles a familiar but critical challenge: how to connect the world’s most widely used industrial sensors in places where traditional networks cannot reach.
RS485 is a standard interface found in many industrial devices, from water quality sensors to power meters and control systems. Until now, getting data from those sensors in remote areas meant complicated infrastructure, or worse, regular site visits to collect data. The RS485 Anywhere removes those barriers, linking directly to existing sensors and delivering their data via satellite to wherever it’s needed.
How does it work?
At the core of the RS485 Anywhere is EchoStar Mobile’s EM2050 module, a dual-mode satellite IoT connectivity solution that ensures reliable, real-time communication whether sensors are deployed in a city centre, a mountain valley, or offshore at sea.
As a compact, battery-powered unit, the RS485 Anywhere acts as a bridge between existing RS485 sensors and our LoRa®-enabled satellite IoT network.
- It supports both Modbus and ASCII protocols, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of industrial equipment. (Modbus is a common “language” that industrial devices use to exchange data in a structured way, while ASCII is a simpler text-based method that many basic sensors use. Supporting both means the RS485 Anywhere can connect to almost any RS485 device.)
- By utilising our EM2050 module, the RS485 harnesses LoRa® connectivity seamlessly switching between terrestrial networks where available and satellite when required.
- An integrated solar PV charge controller tops up the battery, extending deployments in the field.
In addition, the RS485 Anywhere doesn’t just power itself; it powers your sensors too. The device includes a 24V switched auxiliary output, supplying electricity to connected RS485 sensors and turning them on only when needed. With a high-capacity battery and solar charging inputs, this clever design minimises energy use, conserves battery life, and makes long-term, off-grid deployments much more practical.
By combining industrial compatibility, built-in power options, and the EM2050’s dual-mode connectivity, the RS485 Anywhere ensures RS485 sensors can stay online wherever they are deployed.
Key benefits of the RS485 Anywhere
The RS485 Anywhere offers a gateway to exciting new possibilities for monitoring assets in remote locations. It combines satellite reach with compatibility for existing RS485 sensors, making remote operations flexible, efficient, and resilient.
Some of the standout advantages include:
- Coverage everywhere in Europe: sensors can be placed at the exact point of risk or interest, not just within the range of existing traditional networks.
- No infrastructure required: the plug-and-play setup connects directly to sensors already in place and is immediately ready to transmit data.
- Real-time visibility of remote assets: transform isolated equipment into connected assets for faster decision-making and reduced operational downtime.
- Low power, long-term resilience: a high-capacity battery, solar recharging, and smart power management extend deployments for years with minimal maintenance.
- Enhanced cost efficiency: eliminates the need for site visits and complex infrastructure, making remote connectivity viable in places it never was before.
Combined, these capabilities make the RS485 Anywhere more than just another monitoring device; they make it a practical, powerful way to unlock reliable connectivity for any remote monitoring project.
Where can it be used?
The true strength of the RS485 Anywhere is its versatility. By removing connectivity barriers, it gives organisations the freedom to place sensors exactly where they’re needed, not just where networks are available.
Here are some of the environments where it delivers immediate impact:
Offshore wind farms
Imagine a technician 50 miles out to sea. With RS485 Anywhere, turbine foundations, marine ecosystems, and surrounding environmental conditions can all be monitored without relying on nearby cellular coverage. Data flows continuously, helping to protect assets and optimise energy production.
Rewilding projects
In remote landscapes, such as the Scottish Highlands or the wild expanses of the Carpathian Mountains, conservation teams can deploy sensors to track wildlife movements, measure habitat conditions, and monitor climate data. The RS485 Anywhere ensures that even the most isolated rewilding sites stay connected to the data they depend on.
Water quality monitoring
From city rivers to open coastlines, environmental agencies can drop sensors directly into the water to monitor pollutants, salinity, or temperature. The RS485 Anywhere makes it possible to collect readings from the precise location that matters most, rather than the nearest point with network access.
Renewable energy sites
Solar farms in rural valleys or hydroelectric plants in mountainous terrain can feed performance data straight back to operators. This connectivity supports real-time insights into yield, equipment health, and maintenance needs.
Remote weather stations
Mountain ranges, forests, and rural plains all benefit from continuous weather monitoring. With the RS485 Anywhere, stations can transmit vital climate and atmospheric data regardless of location, supporting everything from agriculture planning to disaster preparedness.
From the open ocean to Europe’s wild mountain ranges, RS485 Anywhere ensures vital data can be captured and shared, wherever it’s needed.
The bigger picture
The RS485 Anywhere is changing the way industries think about remote operations. With continuous data available from even the hardest-to-reach locations, organisations gain the ability to plan, act, and respond in ways that were previously out of reach.
Smarter maintenance
Instead of sending teams to inspect equipment on a fixed schedule, operators can use real-time insights to detect early signs of problems and act before they escalate. This shift from reactive to predictive maintenance saves both time and resources.
Resource optimisation
By receiving live data on performance, usage, or environmental conditions, businesses can fine-tune how they allocate staff, equipment, and funding. Decisions are guided by facts on the ground, not assumptions or delayed reports.
Sustainability in action
Cutting down on site visits means fewer vehicles on the road, fewer boat trips offshore, and fewer flights to remote sites. RS485 Anywhere directly supports carbon reduction goals while improving efficiency – a win-win for both organisations and the environment.
By shifting the focus from site visits to smart, data-driven decisions, RS485 Anywhere is helping industries work more efficiently, sustainably, and with greater confidence in the field.
RS485 Anywhere shows that no site is too remote for reliable data. It’s a major step forward in satellite IoT, with the potential to transform how industries work with their most valuable assets.
At EchoStar Mobile, we’re proud to support skentel in bringing this innovation to life. Together, we’re extending the reach of IoT connectivity, helping organisations unlock insight wherever it’s needed.
If you’d like to learn more about the RS485 Anywhere, please visit our LoRa® Satellite Marketplace or get in touch with our team with any questions you may have.