Travellers can now monitor, live stream and call pets while flying

WANDERLUST: The technology complies with IATA regulations

An American IT company has launched a solution that allows travellers flying with their pets to monitor essential vitals and even call their pets in transit via their smartphone.

Unisys Corporation’s Digi-Pet uses Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology via smart sensors attached to the pet’s kennel or carry case to monitor and transmit key metrics such as temperature, oxygen levels, vibration and light, and automatically alert the pet owner and airline staff if any factors require action.

Pet owners can also subscribe to live video streaming, photos and voice exchanges so that they can see and talk to their pet via an app on their smart phone or tablet.

“We are emotionally attached to our pets and it can be distressing to be separated from them when traveling by air,” said Venkatesh Pazhyanur, senior industry director of Freight Solutions for Unisys. “Large pets – whether accompanied or not – must travel in the cargo hold.

“Unisys Digi-Pet uses IoT sensors to provide pet owners with full visibility of their pet’s comfort and the environmental conditions, as well as enabling them to talk to their pet – calming both the pet and owner.”

Digi-Pet is part of the Digistics suite of innovative digital logistics solutions for air cargo carriers. The 20 global carriers that subscribe to Unisys Digistics transport more than 180,000 animals annually.

“Unisys Digi-Pet uses innovative IoT technology to enable air carriers to offer niche pet travel services, allowing them to enter and capture a high yield growing market while improving customer experience and loyalty as pet owners don’t need to find specialized pet or other transport modes for their needs,” said Pazhyanur.

Digi-Pet assists airlines to comply with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animals Regulations (LAR), the worldwide standard for transporting live animals to ensure all animals are transported safely and humanely by monitoring the pet’s environmental conditions from the point of drop-off through to delivery to the final destination.

In addition to transporting domestic pets, this service can be used by shippers and carriers that transport other animal cargo such as horses, day-old chicks or hatching eggs, which require consistent heat, oxygen and light.