Built for the frontier

The core difference comes down to the data protocol. Most older IoT gateways use MQTT, which needs a continuous connection between the device and the server to work properly. That's a real problem when you're trying to communicate through LEO satellites that are moving overhead at 27,000 km/h and only visible for short windows.

RIVIR uses the LwM2M protocol instead, which is a structured session-based system that doesn't need that constant connection. It's up to 88% more data efficient than MQTT for the same task, uses 72% less data at initial connection, 31% less for steady-state operation, and draws 33% less power. In practical terms, it means your data is far more likely to get through reliably, especially when the network is under pressure.

Yes, that's exactly the problem RIVIR was built to solve. When cellular is available, the gateway uses it because it's cheaper and faster, but it seamlessly switches to satellite when cell service drops out. This hybrid approach means you get the best of both worlds, with the added benefit that your monitoring stays online even during emergencies or natural disasters that knock out ground-based networks.

LwM2M stands for Lightweight Machine to Machine, and it's an open standard specified by the Open Mobile Alliance for running scalable IoT applications over constrained networks. It is ideal as it can handle the exact challenges that LEO satellite networks present.

The protocol uses a firmware client on the gateway paired with cloud-based server software to maintain secure, continuous two-way communication sessions that survive network interruptions.

It also doubles as a device management protocol, which makes it much easier to deploy and manage a large fleet of IoT-enabled assets remotely without needing to visit each one.

RIVIR has a genuine track record behind it. The company's earlier 100 series gateway was successfully deployed across multiple industries to connect assets over the SpaceX Swarm LEO network.

The current R200 series builds on that experience and is purpose-built for the next generation of Direct to Cellular satellite networks. The system was developed under NDA with SpaceX, and RIVIR was the first company certified for satellite IoT use in New Zealand.

Demo units are available for organisations that want to test the technology in their own environment before committing.

Integration is designed to be straightforward on both the edge side and the business system side. At the asset level, the R200 gateway connects to sensors, PLCs, and other smart equipment through wired Modbus RTU RS485 or wireless LoRA connections, which are standard industrial protocols that most existing equipment already supports.

On the back end, RIVIR provides REST APIs that allow remote IoT data to flow directly into your centralised business systems, whether that's a SCADA platform, asset management software, or a custom data environment.

RIVIR's engineering team also offers hands-on integration services for both hardware and API connections, so you're not left figuring it out on your own if your setup has specific requirements.

The RIVIR system handles this by using a virtually persistent connection, similar to text messaging rather than a phone call. Instead of needing a live, continuous link to transmit data, the LwM2M protocol queues data and manages secure communication sessions that pick up exactly where they left off when the next satellite pass occurs.

Your data doesn't get lost during gaps in coverage, it just waits and gets delivered reliably on the next available pass, with the system maintaining full integrity of the two-way session throughout.

No, the RIVIR R200 gateway is designed to sit alongside your existing infrastructure and connect to the sensors, PLCs, and smart assets you're already using.

It interfaces through standard industrial protocols, specifically wired Modbus RTU RS485 and wireless LoRA, which are widely supported across most industrial sensor and equipment manufacturers.

Rather than replacing anything, you're essentially adding a satellite communication layer on top of what's already in place. This keeps the disruption of deployment much lower than most people expect.

If your sensor outputs data over Modbus or LoRA, the RIVIR gateway can transmit it over satellite to your business systems.

The data you can collect depends on what sensors and equipment you connect to the gateway, not on any limitation of RIVIR itself. The R200 interfaces through standard Modbus and LoRA protocols, so it can relay whatever your connected devices are measuring.

In practice, that includes things like flow rates, pressures, temperatures, dissolved gas levels, voltage readings, methane concentrations, tank levels, equipment status indicators, lubrication data, and weather metrics.