Field officers working in areas with limited to no internet access could soon have high speed connectivity with the help of a new satellite service currently being trialled in the Burdekin.
Starlink, a constellation of low orbit satellites, is an offshoot of Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX, and is opening up the possibility for field staff to access high speed internet in even the most remote areas.
The hardware kit was purchased by Tropical North Queensland Drought Hub, and consists of a small portable satellite dish, wifi router and relevant cables and power supply which can be easily transported to locations around the region.
Over the next six months, NQ Dry Tropics will test the satellites reliability and speed at locations across the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region, with initial tests already proving encouraging, according to grazing team leader Josh Nicholls.
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"We've trialled it at two locations where there's no internet service, west of Collinsville and south of Charters Towers. Internet speed and latency was excellent," Mr Nicholls said.
"Both times field officers were able to have a real-time conversation with no lag issues with staff in the Townsville office."
Mr Nicholls said the ability to take high-speed connectivity to remote areas would create more efficient processes for field workers and open up opportunities for rural enterprise throughout the Burdekin region.
"It'd enable us to run workshops and field days at places we normally wouldn't be able to, as well as being able to collect, store and report data on the go," he said.
"Conducting property visits becomes more productive because the landholder and field officer would be able to access information and data instantly to help with property planning and mapping.
"Field officers could upload land condition assessment tool (LCAT) data instantly from the field, improving efficiency and saving time.
"They'd also be able to communicate with the Townsville office more readily. From a health and safety perspective, it would be peace of mind knowing staff would be able to contact others for help in an emergency."
