Iridium Invests in DDK Positioning to Enhance Custom Network Portfolio

Iridium Communications has announced an investment in DDK Positioning, a satellite navigation service provider based in Scotland.

DDK uses Iridium technology to provide global precision positioning services that can improve the accuracy of global navigation satellite systems, Iridium said Monday.

Iridium CEO Matt Desch, a member of the Potomac Officers Club and seven-time Wash100 winner, said DDK’s GNSS augmentation service is a highly valuable addition to Iridium’s portfolio of custom network services. Iridium operates a global mobile voice and data satellite communications network.

“Solutions from Iridium and DDK partners that are focused on precision agriculture, autonomous systems, maritime and infrastructure projects can now experience incredibly precise GNSS accuracy from anywhere on the planet,” Desch added.

Kevin Gaffney, CEO of DDK, said Iridium’s investment will allow DDK to grow and offer its services globally.

The Aberdeen-based company expands the industrial applications of the Global Positioning System, Galileo and other constellations. Iridium said DDK is currently developing solutions for Russia’s GLONASS and China’s BeiDou.

Iridium added that its technology allows DDK to enhance the positioning accuracy of satellite navigation systems from the typical 10 meters down to 5 centimeters or less.

According to Iridium, precise positioning information is important for unmanned aerial vehicles, precision agriculture applications, offshore infrastructure projects, automotive applications, construction, mining, surveying and internet of things applications.

The company cited a report by the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency predicting that augmentation services will account for $76.5 billion in global market revenue by 2029. The global GNSS downstream market is expected to reach $382 billion within the same period.