emirates7 - Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) announced that its nanosatellite, DEWA-SAT 1, has transmitted 2,690 megabytes (MB) of operational data to its ground station since its launch in January 2022.
DEWA-SAT 1, a 3U nanosatellite, facilitates direct communication through its onboard Internet of Things (IoT) system, utilizing LoRa technology, a long-range, low-power wireless connection. The satellite ensures data security by adhering to DEWA’s encryption protocols.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, DEWA's Managing Director and CEO, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to adopting advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to build smart and sustainable infrastructure. He highlighted that the Space-D programme uses nanosatellites as a complementary solution to ground-based IoT networks, enabling remote asset monitoring. This initiative supports the digitalisation of power and water networks, improving planning, operations, and preventative maintenance across the generation, distribution, and transmission sectors.
The programme also focuses on reducing costs, maximizing asset efficiency, and fostering knowledge sharing. Additionally, it plays a vital role in training DEWA’s Emirati workforce to support the organization's technological advancements.
Al Tayer elaborated on the objectives of the Space-D programme, which aims to enhance electricity and water network efficiency through nanosatellite and remote-sensing technologies. DEWA is the first utility globally to deploy nanosatellites to optimize the operations, maintenance, and planning of its networks, thereby increasing operational and asset efficiency.
The nanosatellites provide DEWA with complete data control through a ground station located at the Research and Development (R&D) Centre in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Managed by highly skilled Emirati specialists, this facility oversees satellite operations. As part of the Space-D initiative, DEWA launched DEWA-SAT 1 in January 2022, followed by DEWA-SAT 2 in April 2023.
DEWA’s nanosatellites serve various monitoring purposes, such as tracking power factors and frequencies in low-voltage rooms, detecting anomalies in water pipelines by monitoring temperature, pressure, and flow, measuring weather conditions including temperature, humidity, and air quality, and collecting power quality data from remote substations.
In collaboration with its partners, DEWA has also published seven research papers showcasing the applications of DEWA-SAT 1 and advancing the understanding of direct-to-satellite communication using LoRa protocols.
DEWA-SAT 1, a 3U nanosatellite, facilitates direct communication through its onboard Internet of Things (IoT) system, utilizing LoRa technology, a long-range, low-power wireless connection. The satellite ensures data security by adhering to DEWA’s encryption protocols.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, DEWA's Managing Director and CEO, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to adopting advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to build smart and sustainable infrastructure. He highlighted that the Space-D programme uses nanosatellites as a complementary solution to ground-based IoT networks, enabling remote asset monitoring. This initiative supports the digitalisation of power and water networks, improving planning, operations, and preventative maintenance across the generation, distribution, and transmission sectors.
The programme also focuses on reducing costs, maximizing asset efficiency, and fostering knowledge sharing. Additionally, it plays a vital role in training DEWA’s Emirati workforce to support the organization's technological advancements.
Al Tayer elaborated on the objectives of the Space-D programme, which aims to enhance electricity and water network efficiency through nanosatellite and remote-sensing technologies. DEWA is the first utility globally to deploy nanosatellites to optimize the operations, maintenance, and planning of its networks, thereby increasing operational and asset efficiency.
The nanosatellites provide DEWA with complete data control through a ground station located at the Research and Development (R&D) Centre in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Managed by highly skilled Emirati specialists, this facility oversees satellite operations. As part of the Space-D initiative, DEWA launched DEWA-SAT 1 in January 2022, followed by DEWA-SAT 2 in April 2023.
DEWA’s nanosatellites serve various monitoring purposes, such as tracking power factors and frequencies in low-voltage rooms, detecting anomalies in water pipelines by monitoring temperature, pressure, and flow, measuring weather conditions including temperature, humidity, and air quality, and collecting power quality data from remote substations.
In collaboration with its partners, DEWA has also published seven research papers showcasing the applications of DEWA-SAT 1 and advancing the understanding of direct-to-satellite communication using LoRa protocols.