[SatNews] Blue Sky Network, a global provider of GPS tracking and communication solutions for land, sea, and aviation assets, announced that the Red Crescent Authority of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Arabian equivalent of the Red Cross, will be installing Blue Sky Network’s GPS-based aviation tracking devices on its first-aid helicopter fleet after a successful trial-run conducted during the first half of 2010.

Aboard the Red Crescent’s helicopters are Blue Sky Network’s D2000 flyaway kits, a rugged and portable solution that will provide the Red Crescent Authority with continuous satellite communications and offer unparalleled safety features. The D2000 flyaway kit operates with the aid of the only truly global satellite provider, Iridium Communications Inc. This system ensures that the Red Crescent Authority’s fleet will be able to communicate at all times with ground crews wherever their routes take them. Other features include short code messaging interface, Ethernet port for connecting to any laptop or PDA, and a Mayday button, which sends messages to Blue Sky Network’s SkyRouter Web portal, along with alerts to programmed e-mail addresses and mobile phones. SkyRouter interface is accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. Additionally, the kits feature an extended battery life of up to 12 hours.