Swarm Technologies built one of the world’s tiniest satellite networks for connecting Internet of Things devices just about anywhere. They ran these little SpaceBEE satellites until SpaceX snapped them up for $524 million in 2021, and services will wrap up by March 2025.
Swarm Technologies focused on low Earth orbit satellite communications for IoT devices. Sara Spangelo and Benjamin Longmier started the company back in 2016. They came up with these ultra-small satellites called SpaceBEEs, which made global connectivity actually affordable.
Each satellite weighed only 400 grams and measured 11 × 11 × 2.8 centimeters. These 0.25U CubeSat format satellites used a store-and-forward design to send data between IoT devices and ground stations.
Swarm aimed their tech at industries like shipping, agriculture, energy, and ground transportation. Their service plans kicked off at just $60 a year per device, which covered 750 data packets of 192 bytes each month.
SpaceX bought Swarm in July 2021, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. That move brought Swarm’s satellite know-how and constellation into SpaceX’s direct-to-device communications plans.
Swarm’s mission? Make satellite connectivity easy to get and affordable for IoT everywhere. They wanted to connect devices in places where regular cell networks just don’t reach.
The company set out to create the world’s most cost-effective satellite network. Swarm’s constellation design aimed for at least three satellites to always be within reach from any spot on Earth.
They planned to deploy 150 SpaceBEE satellites in sun-synchronous low Earth orbit. This setup offered global coverage and kept operational costs way down compared to old-school satellite services.
Swarm really leaned into low-bandwidth, low-cost communications—no high-speed internet here. That made their network perfect for basic IoT monitoring and control across a bunch of industries.
Swarm launched 155 SpaceBEE satellites across 11 missions between 2018 and 2022. They hit commercial operations in February 2021, with 72 satellites providing coverage all over the globe.
They landed some solid funding too, including a $25 million Series A round in 2019 led by EarthLink founder Sky Dayton and PayPal’s David Sacks. Even In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture arm, invested in Swarm.
Swarm ran into regulatory trouble early on when they launched four satellites without FCC approval in 2018. They paid a $900,000 fine but later got licensed after making the satellites bigger and adding GPS-based transmitters.
When SpaceX bought Swarm for $524 million in 2021, it really validated Swarm’s tech and their spot in the market. That deal brought Swarm’s satellite chops into SpaceX’s bigger communications strategy.
Two aerospace engineers—Dr. Sara Spangelo and Dr. Benjamin Longmier—started Swarm Technologies, chasing a shared dream of making satellite connectivity affordable for everyone. Dr. Sara Spangelo leads as CEO, steering the company’s growth and big-picture strategy.
Dr. Sara Spangelo co-founded Swarm in 2017 and took the CEO role. Her aerospace engineering background really shaped how Swarm approached miniaturized satellites.
Spangelo got the original idea for Swarm after hearing from hundreds of would-be customers who wanted satellite connectivity but found it out of reach. Her experience in space systems engineering helped her figure out how to build satellites that were both tiny and practical.
She led Swarm through several funding rounds, including that $25 million investment with backing from Sky Dayton and PayPal’s co-founder. Spangelo carved out Swarm’s reputation as a disruptor in satellite communications.
Her technical vision drove the creation of Swarm’s credit card-sized satellites, which eventually took on their “grilled cheese sandwich” look. This focus on miniaturization made Swarm’s low-cost network possible.
Dr. Benjamin Longmier co-founded Swarm and serves as Chief Technology Officer. He works with Spangelo to develop the technical backbone for the company’s satellite constellation.
The founding team built Swarm’s California operations around scientists, engineers, and operators. That technical focus really supported their mission to provide global IoT connectivity.
Alfie Lin runs Business Operations, handling the day-to-day stuff. Swarm keeps things lean with 31 employees, including three in leadership.
The leadership team’s expertise covers aerospace engineering, satellite tech, and business ops. Their backgrounds let Swarm push the boundaries of low Earth orbit satellite communications for IoT.
Swarm built its network using super small SpaceBEE satellites—each just 400 grams and 11 × 11 × 2.8 centimeters. The company ran ground stations hooked up to the internet and used a store-and-forward method to relay data between IoT devices and users.
Swarm’s constellation used SpaceBEE satellites in low Earth orbit, flying at altitudes between 460–580 kilometers. They aimed for 150 satellites but didn’t quite get there before operations wound down in March 2025.
Each SpaceBEE satellite followed a 0.25U CubeSat format, making them some of the smallest two-way communication satellites ever. They had solar panels on top and bottom for power.
There were two main types:
All SpaceBEE NZ satellites have since burned up in the atmosphere, the last one in January 2024. Swarm designed the network so at least three satellites would always be within reach from anywhere on Earth—once the full constellation was up.
Swarm hit some regulatory bumps early on. The FCC rejected their first application in 2017, worried the satellites were too tiny to track.
Swarm operated ground stations that connected to the internet to move data between satellites and users. These ground stations talked to SpaceBEE satellites as they zipped overhead.
The satellites had antennas wrapped around their bodies during launch, which popped out once they reached space. That kept the small satellites in touch with ground stations.
Swarm ran some unauthorized tests between weather balloons and ground stations in Georgia before getting FCC approval. The FCC fined them $900,000 in 2018 after an investigation.
The ground station network made Swarm’s store-and-forward system work. Satellites would pick up data from IoT devices as they passed by, then beam it down to ground stations when in range.
Swarm’s network offered low-bandwidth global connectivity for IoT devices. Their data transmission was pretty modest compared to traditional broadband satellite networks.
They sold data plans starting at just $60 per year per device in 2020. That let users send 750 packets of 192 bytes each month.
Swarm’s network used the Swarm Tile, a two-way satellite modem designed to sip power. You could embed the Tile right into your own circuit boards.
They kicked off commercial operations in February 2021 using 72 satellites. Swarm served customers in shipping, agriculture, energy, logistics, transportation, research, and global development.
The service covered the globe, but the data rates were best for basic IoT—not high-bandwidth stuff. SpaceX picked up Swarm in July 2021 for $524 million, then decided to wind down operations in March 2025.
Swarm delivers satellite connectivity through custom hardware and network services made for IoT. Their product line keeps costs down and lets devices talk to each other from pretty much anywhere.
The Swarm Tile is the heart of their satellite communication system. At $119 USD, this little modem plugs right into your own circuit boards.
It enables two-way data transfer between IoT devices and Swarm’s satellite network. The Tile is perfect for low-bandwidth, low-power applications.
Key specs include a light build and compact size, so it’s great for battery-powered setups. The modem handles store-and-forward protocols fine-tuned for small data packets.
Swarm makes all the satellite modem components themselves. That keeps quality high and ensures everything works with their own satellite network.
Swarm offers evaluation kits for companies wanting to test satellite connectivity before rolling it out everywhere. The kit comes with hardware and documentation for building prototypes.
Engineers can use these kits to see how the network performs in their specific applications. They can test transmission in different places and weather.
Testing tools include checking signal strength, data throughput, and power draw. The kit supports different antenna setups for the best satellite link.
Development teams use these kits to make sure their IoT applications work before buying more hardware. The evaluation phase helps spot technical hiccups early.
Swarm provides integration services for companies rolling out satellite-connected IoT devices across industries. Network service runs $5 per month per device with a subscription.
Target industries include precision agriculture, vehicle tracking, maritime, energy, and logistics. Each area gets 24/7 global coverage thanks to Swarm’s satellites.
They support projects from small pilots to big commercial deployments. Ford Motor Company, for example, used Swarm for connected vehicles in remote areas.
Network coverage reaches everywhere on Earth with Low Earth Orbit satellites. Swarm’s service fills the gap where regular networks just don’t exist.
Swarm delivers satellite connectivity at prices up to 90% lower than traditional satellite options. Their small satellite constellation means global coverage through affordable hardware and low-cost monthly plans.
Swarm’s pricing finally makes satellite connectivity doable for industries that couldn’t touch it before. The Swarm Tile modem costs just $119, way cheaper than other satellite devices out there.
Monthly data service starts at $5 per device. That’s a small slice of what old-school satellite providers charge.
They keep costs down by designing and building all satellites and terminals themselves. No middlemen, no markups—just direct control over quality.
Traditional satellite services can be ten times as expensive as Swarm’s offering. That price gap opens up new markets in agriculture, vehicle tracking, and maritime. Companies can now connect gear in places where cell service doesn’t even exist.
Swarm’s constellation gives you round-the-clock network coverage anywhere on Earth. The satellites orbit in low Earth orbit, which helps cut down on latency and keeps power needs low.
This affordable satellite network connects devices everywhere—from busy shipping lanes to out-of-the-way farmlands. Swarm reaches places where traditional internet just isn’t practical or affordable to build out.
Over 200 companies jumped in for early access. Precision agriculture, energy, logistics, and transportation industries all use Swarm.
Ford Motor Company teamed up with Swarm for connected vehicle services in remote spots. Ford specifically pointed to Swarm’s ability to deliver coverage “anywhere and everywhere” for its future connected vehicles.
Swarm Technologies’ satellite network brings low-cost, two-way connectivity that’s changing how industries connect to remote locations worldwide. The system’s 93 tiny satellites make affordable IoT solutions and real-time monitoring possible for a wide range of sectors.
Swarm Technologies runs the world’s most affordable satellite network for IoT devices that need global connectivity. Their constellation of 93 sandwich-sized satellites, orbiting between 450 and 550 kilometers up, offers two-way communication for just $5 a month.
Industries use Swarm’s low-bandwidth service for asset tracking and sensor monitoring. Maritime shipping companies track vessels and cargo across oceans. Energy companies keep tabs on remote infrastructure like oil rigs and wind farms where cell networks don’t reach.
The satellites collect data from IoT devices and relay it when they pass over ground stations. This “store-and-forward” method works well for uses that don’t need instant data but rely on steady, worldwide coverage.
Swarm works with Semtech to bring LoRa technology to VHF frequencies. This partnership lets IoT devices connect easily to the satellite network, keeping power use and battery drain low.
Remote monitoring gets a big boost from Swarm’s global satellite coverage, especially in places where you just can’t build traditional communication infrastructure. The Arctic is one tough example where Swarm fills communication gaps.
Environmental research stations use Swarm to send weather data, wildlife tracking, and climate measurements from isolated spots. Scientists put sensors in wilderness areas, polar regions, and offshore platforms that keep gathering data and sending updates through the satellites.
Logistics companies rely on the satellites for shipping container tracking and asset monitoring along international routes. Swarm provides location updates and status reports for cargo moving through places with no cell coverage.
Emergency response teams use Swarm’s network when disasters knock out ground-based systems. The satellites keep rescue teams connected for coordination and damage assessment after hurricanes or earthquakes.
Farmers use Swarm’s satellite connectivity to run precision farming that boosts crop yields and saves resources. IoT sensors scattered across fields monitor soil moisture, temperature, and crop health in real time.
The satellite network powers remote irrigation control systems that adjust water based on sensor readings. This automation cuts water waste and helps crops get what they need during key growth periods. Farmers can check their field data from anywhere, making farm management a lot more flexible.
Environmental projects count on Swarm for tracking deforestation, pollution, and climate change signals. Researchers put sensors in protected or remote ecosystems to gather long-term data without disturbing nature.
Precision agriculture also pairs Swarm with automated farm equipment. Tractors and harvesters get GPS guidance and commands through the network, so farms can run efficiently even where there’s no internet.
The technology helps farmers use less fertilizer, optimize planting, and spot pests early. With better data, they make smarter decisions and reduce agriculture’s environmental impact.
SpaceX made its first-ever acquisition in August 2021 when it bought Swarm Technologies. The deal brought Swarm’s IoT satellite know-how and valuable spectrum licenses into SpaceX’s fold.
SpaceX announced the Swarm Technologies acquisition in August 2021 via regulatory filings with the FCC. This marked SpaceX’s first acquisition since it started.
At the time, Swarm had about 120 satellites in orbit. They’d already launched most of their planned 160-satellite network using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets as rideshare payloads.
Key acquisition details:
Regulators had to approve the deal because Swarm already held FCC licenses. SpaceX got instant access to Swarm’s spectrum in the 137-138 MHz and 148-149.95 MHz bands.
SpaceX really wanted Swarm for its talent and to expand Starlink’s reach into IoT. The acquisition brought in seasoned satellite engineers, strengthening SpaceX’s team.
Swarm’s co-founders now lead key Starlink projects. Longmier heads SpaceX’s electric propulsion group and helped develop the argon Hall thrusters in Starlink V2 Mini satellites. Spangelo works on SpaceX’s direct-to-cellular partnerships with T-Mobile and other carriers.
The deal also gave SpaceX more spectrum, which is vital for satellite communications. Swarm’s licenses let SpaceX use more frequencies for future Starlink services.
Strategic benefits for SpaceX:
By acquiring Swarm, SpaceX also took out a potential competitor and gained established customer relationships and ground infrastructure.
SpaceX’s purchase of Swarm Technologies in July 2021 opened up new ways to expand satellite connectivity beyond just broadband. The two systems target different markets but use complementary tech, making overall satellite communication even stronger.
Swarm Technologies operates ultra-small satellites built for IoT devices. These sandwich-sized satellites use a store-and-forward system, collecting data from devices and sending it when they pass ground stations.
Starlink satellites are much bigger and deliver high-speed broadband internet to users directly. The constellation focuses on low-latency connections for homes, businesses, and mobile users.
Key differences? Satellite size, data capacity, and target applications. Swarm’s satellites are about the size of a smartphone, while Starlink’s are much larger to fit high-capacity antennas and solar arrays.
Power requirements aren’t even close. Swarm satellites sip power to handle basic IoT comms. Starlink satellites need much more juice to keep broadband running and their advanced propulsion active.
SpaceX has folded Swarm’s expertise into Starlink’s development. The acquisition brought deep knowledge of miniaturized satellite parts and efficient orbital mechanics, which helps Starlink’s direct-to-cell projects.
With Swarm, SpaceX can now offer satellite connectivity for just about any market. Customers can get both high-speed internet with Starlink and low-power IoT connectivity from Swarm.
Agriculture is a big winner here. Farmers use Swarm for soil and equipment monitoring, then tap Starlink for high-speed data analysis and communication.
SpaceX has started adding Swarm’s services to the Starlink website. Now you can find IoT evaluation kits, modems, and asset trackers alongside broadband options.
The combined tech works well for maritime and aviation too. Ships and planes can keep basic connections through Swarm and use Starlink for heavier data needs.
Swarm’s team also helped improve Starlink’s propulsion systems. Their experience with small components and efficient design has made the Starlink constellation more effective and affordable.
Swarm Technologies raised $25 million in total funding through several investment rounds before SpaceX acquired it. The company drew in venture capital firms and government investors who saw big potential in its affordable satellite network.
In-Q-Tel (IQT), the CIA’s venture capital arm, was one of Swarm’s top investors. IQT backs cutting-edge tech companies.
Craft Ventures also played a big role, focusing on early-stage tech investments.
Swarm had 11 investors in total, according to industry records. These backers saw Swarm’s unique position in building low-cost satellite communication.
Government interest from IQT showed how strategically important Swarm’s network was. Private VCs like Craft Ventures brought commercial expertise to help Swarm grow.
Swarm’s major funding round wrapped up on January 24, 2019, bringing in $25 million. This Series A round funded the development and launch of the satellite constellation.
The company’s final funding activity was on October 1, 2021. That round was labeled Venture – Series Unknown, and details are pretty limited.
Between these rounds, Swarm raised money to build the world’s most affordable satellite network. The funds paid for satellite launches and ground infrastructure.
The 2019 round was especially crucial for scaling up. The money went toward satellite manufacturing, launches, and regulatory compliance to get a commercial network off the ground.
Swarm Technologies ran into regulatory hurdles with the FCC after it launched satellites without proper approval in 2018. The company paid a $900,000 penalty and spent years under regulatory oversight before finally getting commercial approval.
The FCC first denied Swarm’s launch application in 2017, citing safety worries about the small satellites posing risks in orbit.
Swarm went ahead and launched four cubesats without permission in 2018, which immediately triggered FCC enforcement.
The agency fined Swarm $900,000. Swarm also agreed to extra FCC oversight as part of the settlement.
Swarm finally got regulatory approval in October 2020 after years of compliance work. The company received authorization to operate in the US, several international markets, and over international waters.
The FCC granted Swarm the spectrum needed for satellite-to-Earth communications. Without this, the IoT satellite network couldn’t operate.
Swarm runs ground stations in countries like the US, UK, Antarctica, New Zealand, and the Azores. Each site needs its own regulatory green light from local authorities.
The company aimed to set up more than 30 ground stations by summer 2020, which meant handling licensing in a lot of different countries.
Operating over international waters means working with various space agencies and maritime authorities. These approvals let Swarm’s satellites deliver global IoT connectivity.
Commercial satellite operators deal with all kinds of national space rules. Every country sets its own safety standards and licensing requirements for satellite services.
Swarm’s regulatory compliance shows just how complicated approval can get for commercial space companies. Launching without permission can drag out the process for years.
Swarm Technologies jumps into a crowded satellite IoT connectivity market, where a handful of big names and scrappy upstarts all chase low-bandwidth solutions. The company faces tough competition from established giants and emerging startups—each bringing their own twist, whether it’s tech, pricing, or the markets they chase.
Astrocast sits at the top of the pack, making a big impact in satellite-based IoT communications. This Swiss company runs its own constellation and goes after many of the same applications as Swarm Technologies.
Myriota is another major player, hailing from Australia. They’ve built their own low-Earth orbit constellation and focus on direct-to-satellite IoT connectivity.
Hiber takes a slightly different path. This Dutch company zeroes in on water infrastructure monitoring. With $45.2 million in funding—way more than Swarm’s $27.7 million—they’ve clearly convinced investors.
Some companies stick to their own turf. NuSpace runs out of Singapore with just 8 employees, aiming squarely at Asian markets. Astrocast Austria carves out its space in European satellite communication networks.
You’ll also find smaller competitors like Gorilla Link from Israel and Totum Labs. These folks usually chase niche applications or focus on certain regions.
Technology approaches split the field. Some companies build their own satellite constellations, while others just lease bandwidth from whoever’s already up there.
Target markets make a difference too. Hiber really digs into water monitoring and oil pipelines. Swarm Technologies casts a wider net, chasing IoT opportunities in lots of industries.
Pricing strategies? All over the place. Companies with bigger funding rounds (like Hiber) might undercut rivals when they want to grab market share.
Geographic coverage can tip the scales. Companies with strong roots in a region often snag local contracts—even if their tech isn’t the flashiest.
Employee count says a lot about company scale. Hiber has 85 people on board, while Swarm runs lean with 12. That hints at different business models and growth plans.
Swarm technologies are changing the way distributed systems work. By channeling collective intelligence, they tackle tough problems in security, AI, autonomous coordination, industrial automation, and big data.
Swarm technologies boost system capacity by spreading workloads across lots of autonomous nodes. These nodes coordinate without a central boss.
Each node acts on its own but chats with nearby nodes, which naturally balances the load.
A decentralized setup avoids the single points of failure that often break traditional systems. If one node drops out, the others just pick up the slack—no humans needed.
Swarm systems handle resource allocation on the fly. When demand spikes, they spin up new nodes in seconds.
Communication overhead drops because nodes only need to talk to their neighbors, not some far-off controller. This keeps things snappy, even with thousands of nodes.
Byzantine fault tolerance is probably the trickiest security hurdle. Malicious nodes might spread lies through the network, threatening the whole system’s decisions.
Consensus algorithms like Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance help honest nodes agree, even if up to a third of the network is compromised. These protocols ask for several rounds of voting before making a call.
Attackers sometimes try to split up the network (partitioning attacks). Security protocols fight back with heartbeat checks and backup communication paths, so the system can spot and fix splits.
Identity verification keeps unauthorized nodes out. Nodes have to prove themselves with cryptographic certificates and challenge-response tricks before others will listen.
Distributed learning algorithms let lots of AI agents train models together, but keep data local. Each agent learns from its own data and shares only model parameters with the group.
Federated learning is a big deal—smartphones and edge devices all pitch in to train models, but never give up private data. The swarm pulls learning from millions of devices to build smarter models.
Multi-agent reinforcement learning lets AI agents team up to solve tough problems. They try out different strategies and share what works with the group.
Ensemble methods get a boost from swarm diversity. Different models focus on different parts of a problem, and the swarm combines their predictions for better accuracy.
Vehicle-to-vehicle communication lets cars share real-time traffic, road conditions, and their next moves with nearby vehicles. This helps prevent accidents and keeps traffic moving.
Platoon formation allows self-driving cars to travel in tight groups. The lead car steers the pack, while the rest follow closely using swarm coordination.
Autonomous vehicles can manage intersections better by negotiating right-of-way through distributed consensus, instead of relying on traffic lights. Cars tell each other when they’ll arrive and work out the best way through.
Emergency response gets a boost too. Vehicles automatically make way for emergency vehicles by sharing alerts throughout the local swarm. That’s way faster than traditional traffic systems.
Farmers use swarms of small drones to monitor huge crop fields at the same time. Each drone checks a specific area and shares data about crop health, watering, and pests.
Precision farming gets easier with swarm robots handling planting, weeding, and harvesting together. The robots coordinate to avoid bumping into each other and cover the field efficiently.
Manufacturing lines use swarm robotics for flexible production. Robots can rearrange themselves on the fly to handle different products, which cuts downtime.
Quality inspection improves when multiple robots check products from different angles at once. They share results to build a full quality profile much faster than doing it one by one.
Distributed storage systems actually take inspiration from swarm principles. They replicate data across several nodes automatically.
When a storage node fails, the swarm just keeps going. Multiple copies stay available, so your data doesn’t suddenly disappear.
Nodes keep an eye on their own capacity and shift requests to neighbors when they’re getting overloaded. This natural load balancing keeps any one server from getting hammered.
Swarm processing makes real-time analytics a lot faster. Each node looks at its local data and shares what it finds with the network.
With everyone pitching in, large-scale data analysis wraps up much quicker. It’s honestly impressive how much time gets saved.
Edge computing relies on swarm coordination, too. Nodes process data close to where it’s created, instead of sending it all the way to a central data center.
That shift cuts down on latency and bandwidth use. You end up with faster response times—kind of a win-win, really.
