First look: Fi Ultra Starlink pet tracker

Be ultra It is the first Starlink-enabled pet tracker you can buy. It expands to include GPS and LTE trackers, adding automatic failover to T-Mobile’s T-Satellite branded direct cell dialing service When venturing into cellular dead zones. This allows owners to take advantage of the SpaceX constellation Starlink low Earth orbit satellites To track their pets anywhere in the United States. But it comes with a few trade-offs based on our early tests, including the relatively poor battery life of the pet tracker.

The Fi Ultra is designed to fit “adventure dogs of any size,” according to the company, to be compatible with the dog collar or harness you’re already using. The device costs $199 (plus a $20 activation fee) and requires a $189 annual subscription. Along with LTE cellular connectivity, it features dual-band GPS, Bluetooth, and always-on Wi-Fi for added accuracy.

There is a 513mAh battery that should last for two days in this spacious tracker with dimensions of 75mm x 40mm x 25mm, which weighs 68 grams. IP68 and IP66K rating protects against dust and water ingress, including salt water. It’s also equipped with a small vibration motor and speaker to support Fi’s new shock-free Callback training system.

To test the Fi Ultra, I drove about an hour near the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina, where LTE connectivity drops and alligators emerge from the rivers. It was easy to attach the tracker to my dog ​​Gus’s collar, thanks to the spring-loaded clip. But “dogs of any size” seems like a stretch. It looked big on Gus, an 80-pound wire-haired griffon, easily wider than a Chihuahua’s neck, though toy breeds aren’t known for adventurous flights.

The Fi Ultra connects to the Fi app, which displays a live view of Gus’ location. I simulated a lost dog emergency by pressing Lost Mode, which turns up all the radios to try to track it down in real time (instead of checking in periodically).

Outside of regular LTE range, the tracker quickly connected to the Starlink-based T-Satellite network (indicated by the satellite icon in the app), and the map updated about every two to three minutes, showing where it was located near me. Although it’s relatively slow, that’s about the same update interval as when I tested it on a single LTE band in my neighborhood.

Three minutes is a long time, and by the next update, Gus could be anywhere (if he’s already on load). But it’s better than nothing, and it’s the alternative in LTE dead zones.

During a 30-minute live tracking session connected to the Starlink satellites, there were several times when it got stuck on “reconnecting” and the location did not update for about 5 minutes.

According to Fi, the tracker prioritizes terrestrial cell towers. But when using T-Satellite, it has to change satellites frequently while still trying to get a terrestrial signal – because even a single band of LTE generally wins over satellite for connection stability. Fi says this sometimes results in delayed reconnection as the tracker moves in and out of coverage.

All of these radios are tough on the tracker’s battery, and I barely got the promised two days of charging during my testing week. I had to charge it daily if I went on a long walk, or every other day when we were less active. During just a 30-minute live tracking session, it dropped by about 20 percent.

Although it charges in under two hours via USB-C, the short battery life makes this an expensive tracker for occasional use rather than an everyday tracker. Other Fi trackers, Be Minnie and Fi 3 Plus Collar, can last several weeks On a single charge and offering more features, Including health, sleep and behavior tracking. They are also included with a paid membership.

The company said the battery life is due to “the additional power cost of supporting satellite connectivity in addition to cellular, as well as more frequent high-accuracy location updates.” The device relies more on GPS for always-on tracking, unlike non-Fi satellite trackers.

However, Fi Ultra can be added to an existing subscription for a flat fee of $299, which is a better deal in the long run than buying it standalone. You can clip it onto an existing Fi collar, and the two devices will work together in the app, giving you confidence that you’re protected when hiking in areas without cell service, while also getting the benefits of a standard Fi dog tracker.

I used to live in rural Idaho, where my dog ​​Stanley would regularly disappear into canyons chasing deer, so I understand the appeal of a tracker that works outside of cell coverage. If you regularly hike or camp in remote areas, Fi Ultra may be useful as a form of expensive insurance. The T-Satellite backup system works and provides real peace of mind. Just be prepared to charge it a lot more than a traditional GPS tracker.

Photos by Jennifer Pattison Toohey/The Verge