ACR Electronics has introduced what it says is the world’s first mobile-connected AIS EPIRB with Return Link Service, designed for faster rescue in emergencies on the water.
The ACR GlobalFix V5 EPIRB has received Cospas-Sarsat approval. It has a 10-year battery life and features that include GNSS positioning.
“The next-generation EPIRBs will undoubtedly save more lives in the years ahead,” Mikele D’Arcangelo, vice president of global marketing and product management for ACR Electronics, stated in a press release. “The new mobile app has raised the bar for what consumers want and expect from their lifesaving equipment, making it easier for them to understand and interact with their beacon.”
The company is also introducing a version without AIS, called the ACR GlobalFix V6 EPIRB.
AIS being incorporated into the beacons means yacht owners have an additional method of communicating their location to nearby vessels in an emergency. A distress signal will be received by all ships, boats and aircraft equipped with AIS in the vicinity.
The Return Link Service provides a confirmation back to the EPIRB, letting the boater know the international satellite system has received the distress message and location.
By holding a mobile phone over the beacon’s designated area, the latest beacon information is automatically transferred into the ACR mobile app on the phone to review.
Does this new technology meet the regulations that the International Maritime Organization Maritime Safety Committee EPIRB put into force in July 2022? ACR Electronics says the new model exceeds those regulations. It’s still awaiting authorization from the Federal Communications Commission in the United States.
Where to learn more: go to acrartex.com
