Aircraft Tracker Product Information
Beegle X-1 MicroTracker is a cost effective and simple-to-use Iridium-based aircraft tracker for general aviation. It contains an internal battery that lasts about 40 flight hours before needing a recharge. It turns itself on and off automatically, sending SMSs to selected users for take-off and landing events, as well as emergencies (SOS activation and optionally high rate of descent/ascent). It can be left alone, requiring no pilot input until it’s time to recharge, upon which it will send an SMS notification. Users can log into the web-based tracking portal to track flights in real-time. It is suitable for private pilots, schools and charter companies alike. It is an invaluable piece of equipment in the event of an emergency and can mean the difference between life and death. Suitable for rotary and fixed wing aircraft.
Many pilots operate miles from any controlled airspace where ATC flight following is not available. Having a Beegle X-1 aircraft tracker ensures people know where you are at all times.
If the need arises for an off-field landing, users on the ground will be notified automatically via SMS as soon as you’ve landed. When taking off, users will again be notified by SMS.
The pilot can also activate the SOS function, which will increase the tracking frequency and immediately let people on the ground know so they can arrange help.
The Beegle X-1 has two methods of transmitting. The first method is at fixed intervals. This can be set at any value you like and is defined in minutes. So if you choose 5 minute intervals, you’ll get just under 17 hours of flying per month if you’re on the Data Plan 200. There’s also the Data Plan 750 for higher monthly airtime operations. The second option is the Adaptive Transmission Intervals (ATI) method where the Beegle X-1 decides how often it transmits. For regular A-B flying, it’s a much more cost-effective solution, tracking you at 1 minute intervals while manoeuvring and every 10 minutes during straight and level. You can get many more hours from our data plans if you fly A-B routes. If you’re doing training or mountain flying or anything that sees regular course changes, go for the fixed interval options. Please visit our shop for more information on plans and pricing.
Live tracking (flight following) is provided through our tracking portal, offering live information including ground speed, altitude, course, rate of climb, remaining battery capacity, SOS status and many others. Included is the ability to pull reports for any time period of interest.
Besides the standard features, our web portal provides useful tools such as estimating the time of arrival (ETA) at a destination just by selecting the measure tool and clicking on the destination. This can be particularly useful for charter companies who need to plan ground activities with tight schedules.
A number of dashboard widgets give all the information needed to keep track of the flight, including a visual aircraft in distress indicator. The tracking website is also mobile friendly so keeping track of business assets or loved ones has never been easier.
Full-featured tracking portal.
Downloads
To update the firmware on the Beegle, you will need a PC running Windows (sorry Mac users!). Download the Firmware Updater Application, unzip (unzips to .exe executable so you might get a security warning – please ignore) and place in a convenient folder. Also download the latest firmware file and unzip to a suitable folder. Launch the Updater.exe application and select the unzipped .bin firmware file to update. Make sure your Beegle is connected by USB and select the COM port it has enumerated on, then hit the Update button.