Telecompaper
The organisers of the annual Morocco Desert Challenge (MDC) rally have signed a three-year deal with Marlink to provide tracking and race management services using Iritrack. Iritrack is a satellite-based tracking and security system providing two-way data and voice communications in a single device. It will be installed on nearly 200 competitor cars, trucks, buggies, motorbikes and quads for the tenth MDC in April, and will be used in subsequent years.
The system combines tracking functions and safety sensors with a satellite telephone. By pushing one button, participants can contact the emergency centre of the rally directly, without first switching on a device and dialing a number, as with a traditional satellite phone.With Iritrack, the organisers can directly contact competitors even when they are racing. Built-in sensors automatically inform race control when a vehicle is overturned or stationary after an incident.
Iritrack has manual panic buttons configurable by the user for emergency situations or for identification. Marlink will supply the monitoring tool Iriviewer Software Suite, which manages the Iritrack network to provide accurate live locations and timings of all competitors, in addition to analysis of the data received.
Marlink will provide field engineers to instal and maintain the fleet of tracking devices to assist security staff in monitoring the race at the operational HQ. The team will also help train the organiser’s own technicians.
