ETRI Achieves Korea's First Real-Sea Verification of Marine 'MIoT'... Successful Communication with 30 Devices Within 35km

The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as ETRI) has successfully verified the "Maritime Internet of Things (MIoT)" communication network in real marine environments. The marine MIoT can be used for on-site safety management and environmental monitoring by installing sensors and communication devices on ships, ports, and marine facilities.

On September 10, ETRI announced that it had recently established an MIoT communication network in the West Sea and South Sea, successfully creating an environment where up to 30 devices can connect simultaneously within a 35-kilometer range.

ETRI researchers are demonstrating a marine-dedicated IoT communication network monitoring and operation screen using multiple monitors. Photo by Korea Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute

The MIoT system developed by ETRI is built as an independent network, unlike the existing terrestrial Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), enabling low-power transmission and reception optimized for maritime environments and prioritizing safety service messages.

Unlike marine wireless communication networks (LTE-M) specialized for large-capacity data transmission, this network is tailored for low-power, low-cost devices and complements existing maritime networks, making it possible to implement a marine network comparable to those on land.

ETRI's real-sea verification is also significant as it marks the first case of testing internationally standardized IoT technology, as defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), in actual marine environments.

Previously, in 2023, ETRI developed an independent network linking base stations, devices, core networks, and application services by utilizing the 450MHz public frequency band secured by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

In June, ETRI installed a base station at the Odongdo Lighthouse in Yeosu and deployed 30 devices at six locations, including test light buoys, successfully transmitting and receiving actual data. In August, after establishing a base station at the Maldo Lighthouse in Gunsan, devices were deployed at Gunsan Port, Bieung Port, Janghang Port, and Gyeokpo Port lighthouses to conduct communication demonstrations.

During this process, ETRI successfully completed communication between the Odongdo base station and Nangdo Port device (27 kilometers), as well as between the Maldo base station and Janghang Port device (35 kilometers).

The deployed devices connected to the network and demonstrated stable communication performance by transmitting GPS location, beacon lighting status, shock detection, and battery level every three minutes.

Additionally, 30 devices installed on navigation aids in the Yeosu and Gunsan areas successfully connected and communicated simultaneously. ETRI emphasized that this result proves that, with the expansion of commercial test equipment, up to 1,000 devices could connect at the same time in the future.

Based on the achievements from real-sea verification, ETRI plans to establish MIoT pilot networks in three regions-the East Sea, West Sea, and South Sea-starting next year, and to expand the MIoT network nationwide after 2030.

Lee Moonsik, Director of the Satellite Communication Research Division at ETRI, stated, "The real-sea demonstration of the marine 'MIoT' is the first case in Korea and an exceptional achievement internationally," adding, "We expect that this demonstration will significantly enhance Korea's capabilities in marine safety management and climate crisis response going forward."

Meanwhile, the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) has already begun international standardization efforts for marine IoT technology. The Korean government has also established the "3rd Basic Plan for Aids to Navigation (2025-2029)" and the "Marine Navigation Information System Innovation Strategy (April 2025)" and is currently pursuing the construction of a nationwide marine IoT communication network.

In this context, ETRI's latest achievement is expected to significantly contribute not only to effective responses to international standardization but also to attracting the "International Cooperation Center for Aids to Navigation" to Korea and exporting related technology.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.