iBeacon, Eddystone, Bluetooth, IoT sensor beacons, apps, platforms
We have had enquiries whether beacons can be used on aircraft. While there’s no specific guidance on beacons from aviation authorities, beacons transmit the same radio signals to other Bluetooth devices such as the FitBit, Android Wear, Apple Watch and Bluetooth headphones. These devices are classed as Personal Electronic Devices (PED).
The use of PEDs depends on the airline. Both the FAA and EASA have guidelines for the use of PEDs. Smart Luggage is No Longer Allowed.
There’s a new iOS Swift library QuickBLE on GitHub that simplifies connecting to Bluetooth LE devices and reading/writing Bluetooth Service Characteristics.
Following Toshiba, silicon manufacturers are becoming more active in the Bluetooth LE space. STMicroelectronics have announced their Latest SoC, the BlueNRG-1 and Fujitsu have announced the FWM7BLZ20 module.
The BlueNRG-1 has a SPI interface to communicate with an application processor suggesting use within other larger hardware systems while the Fujitsu FWM7BLZ20 is a pre-certified module with integrated antenna, based on the Nordic nRF52832, allowing you to get to market quicker.
While these new products are suitable for beacon related products, their use is more likely to be targeted at Bluetooth LE IoT applications.