The rural digitalization takes a major leap forward thanks to the collaboration between DEKRA, Digitanimal, and the operator Skylo. DEKRA’s Málaga laboratory has served as an accredited testing center in the certification process for an innovative livestock-monitoring device that guarantees connectivity even in the most remote areas.
The Digitanimal locator, integrated into a cattle collar, provides real-time positioning of the cattle, helping ranchers remotely monitor their animals with far greater accuracy. Digitanimal leverages Deutsche Telekom’s connectivity platform to ensure perfect visibility for both terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. The key innovation occurs when mobile network coverage is interrupted—the device automatically switches to non-terrestrial networks (NTN), leveraging Skylo’s 3GPP‑compatible NTN network, ensuring the cattle stay connected and visible with no dead zones or interruptions.
This seamless network handover makes the solution especially valuable for extensive cattle ranching, where animals graze over wide expanses and in hard-to-reach environments, such as mountainous terrain or farms spanning hundreds of acres, as cattle continuously move in and out of terrestrial coverage. Through a mobile app, ranchers can easily access herd location data, allowing them to optimize movements, reduce fuel consumption, and improve time management.
Continuous monitoring also provides a fundamental value in delicate situations. If an animal remains stationary for an extended period, the system can trigger alerts indicating potential risk situations, such as the onset of calving, enabling rapid intervention and reducing risks for both the mother and the calf.
Certification and Commercialization Process
The Digitanimal device is now among the first cattle-focused solutions within Skylo’s certification program, which currently covers a broad range of devices and use cases worldwide. It also represents one of the first practical NTN applications in a productive IoT environment, an expanding ecosystem focused on extending connectivity beyond the limits of terrestrial networks.
To connect and interact with the Skylo network, devices must undergo a rigorous acceptance program defined by Skylo. With more than two decades of experience as a recognized laboratory within international certification schemes GCF and PTCRB, DEKRA conducted the required TRP/TIS and regulatory tests, which demand highly qualified professionals, specialized technical infrastructure, and a substantial investment in test equipment.
The lab’s role is especially important in a context where connectivity has become a strategic enabler for new digital services. Beyond regulatory compliance, manufacturers must meet the technical requirements of network operators, both terrestrial and, increasingly, satellite-based, to guarantee interoperability and proper device operation.
«Non-terrestrial networks mark a turning point for the IoT. This project demonstrates how satellite connectivity, integrated with cellular technologies, enables the development of reliable solutions for key sectors such as extensive cattle ranching, bringing digitalization to areas where it was previously impossible», says Natividad Caro, Head of Sales for the Technology and Operators vertical in DEKRA Spain.
The evolution of NTN communications is transforming the IoT landscape by offering global coverage through standard cellular technologies, without the need for costly specialized hardware. This model, based on complementary agreements between mobile operators, opens the door to new use cases, from tracking assets along maritime and rail routes to connectivity in developing regions and continuity of communications during emergencies.
