It was the perfect time to announce the pet monitoring product.
After two separate incidences last week involving pets flying on airplanes, one dog dying in the overhead bin and the other mistakenly being sent to Japan in cargo, it was the perfect time for the tech company Unisys to announce their pet tracking system. The announcement of the new Digi-Pet app took place at the Cargo World Congress of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Dallas last week.
By using sensors, the system monitors the pet's surroundings from temperature, oxygen levels, vibration, and light. All this data can be sent to the owner in real time, who can alert flight attendants to any issues with pets in the cargo hold.
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The new Digi-Pet app aids with pet travel from the initial booking all the way to the destination. First you can book your pet on a flight; they even provide the correct information on which carriers airlines prefer. You can also review consumer reports to see airline records of lost, injured, or mishandled pets, and even pet deaths on each airline, directly through the app.
Next, they follow your pet along the entire journey with GPS tracking including when the plane lands, while monitoring important environmental data. This is an important feature if the animal is not on a non-stop flight. There is even an option for live video streaming and voice exchange so the animal doesn't feel completely alone. The new tracking device aims to monitor the well-being of your furry friends while they travel.
"We are emotionally attached to our pets and it can be distressing to be separated from them when traveling by air," Venkatesh Pazhyanur, senior industry director of Freight Solutions for Unisys, told Travel and Leisure.
"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."
Delta Airlines has a similar GPS tracker system specifically for live animals in Delta cargo. It is unknown when the Digi-Pet app will be available to download for the general public.
What do you think of these pet monitor systems? Tell us in the comments below.
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