Our client, a startup, recognized an opportunity for IoT sensors in the Propane and Fuel Oil space—but only if the product could meet some aggressive goals.
Ultra-Low-Cost IoT Sensor with 10-Year Battery
Creating a New IoT RF technology for our Clients Unique Requirements
FinishLine Expertise
- Product Requirements
- Conceptual Design
- Prototyping (MVP)
- Mechanical Design
- Manufacturing Documents
- CAD
- Software/Firmware
- Programing UI/UX
- Electrical Design
- Schematic
- PCB Layout & Assembly
- Testing/Troubleshoot
Project Description
The Challenge
How to develop an IoT sensor with a total cost of ownership of less than $1 per month.
The Process
- After concluding no existing RF technologies (cell, WiFi, etc) would achieve the $1 per month requirement, FinishLinePDS invented new RF technology
- Pulling from over 200 experts, assembled a team to execute the detailed design of the system
- Helped the company to raise additional funds, ultimately >$8M
- Helped the company develop a sales and Marketing system that achieved more than 100,000 sales within the first year
The Solution
The system was composed of several components
- IoT sensor for fuel oil and propane
- Base station for deploying on LMRS towers
- BOS system including RF viewshed and API interface to many of the degree day systems used at the time
- Developed large scale production with an Asian manufacturer
- Developed automatic calibration and testing equipment for reducing manufacturing cost
The Results
The company became the largest dedicated IoT network provider in the USA and went on to raise more than $50M in investment capital.
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