We all know the need, business opportunities, and headaches of roof rat eradication services. Rats in attics, and for that matter, other unwanted rodents and animals, can be some of the most disruptive and damaging problems pest control operators tackle. The issue is also very noticeable(attic noises, dead rodent smells), leading to unacceptable cancellation rates and added labor-intensive and sometimes dangerous service calls. “Trapmate,” Skyhawk’s unique portable remote IoT trap monitoring system, has dramatic potential to make roof rat eradication efforts one of the most profitable aspects of your business.
Many of the benefits of remote monitoring for roof rat trapping are apparent. Nobody enjoys routinely entering attics. The risks, uncertainties, and environmental variability are notorious. Minimizing the need for visits while remotely alerting to trap activity in real-time offers obvious benefits by reducing client visits, entering attics, and service quality risks from decaying rodents in often hot environments.
Other beneficial business aspects of remote monitoring might not be so obvious.
Stand out as a cutting-edge, advanced service provider
Customer retention rates improve
Enhanced reoccurring revenue opportunity when offered as a service
Reduce labor costs for increased profit
Remote monitoring for rodent control has been of interest for many years. Pioneers such as Corteva and Bayer have developed solutions and wisely promoted the technology to everybody’s benefit. However, their products commonly focus on more extensive installations with the need for a local power supply and RF site surveys.
With Trapmate, Skyhawk is offering similar, but enhanced, technology with the following advantages:
More affordable
More portable
100% battery operated with long life (sensors 5+ years)
Batteries are easily replaced with off-the-shelf batteries
Versatile, suitable for rodent and live animal trapping
Easier to deploy
Independently work with most trap brands or types
Trapmate is the culmination of a 5-year development effort and was preceded by the initial introduction of the Skyhawk Kiwi, a single live trap monitor that was awarded NWCOA’s product of the year in 2019 and has been widely deployed in the following years. It has dramatically improved the business operations of WCOs (Wildlife Control Operators) who have embraced the technology.
Skyhawk was created to address a great IoT market opportunity. As a division of the PICA Group of companies, we have the deep engineering expertise and manufacturing resources to design and build innovative products that meet specific target market needs.
Our origin story
About five years ago, cellular carriers launched a new IoT connection technology that enables the rapid and portable deployment of IoT devices that are independent of any local infrastructure including power, or as we like to say “No Power, No WiFi, No Problem.” We launched our first product the Kiwi which enables a small battery-operated device to monitor a remote location for years at a time with no user intervention. We expanded upon this cost-effective solution with local RF technology that we call FLOCKSENSE™ enabling the monitoring of hundreds of devices within a locality all using the same easy-to-deploy battery-powered technology, all at an ultra-low cost.
IoT or the internet of things is a very broad concept, it typically means a device or sensor, such as a thermostat or light switch, hooked up to a local internet access point. In our world, many devices are dependent upon electrical outlets and wifi access. We deliver battery-operated, cellular-connected drop-in monitoring and take those limitations out of the picture.
Embracing this opportunity, we decided to expand our business model by designing our niche IoT products and taking advantage of our manufacturing know-how to produce devices. We realized it would be possible to monitor various things remotely in ways that were previously unpractical. We applied our technical expertise, examined personal experiences, and determined good opportunities.
“For example, I’m a snowbird and spend my winters in Florida. While there, my house up north flooded due to a water pipe break. One of the products we are launching shortly provides remote monitoring for water leaks. We also examined a slew of other uses and, from those options, curated products and use cases that we felt met previously underserved markets and needs.” – Rich Shevelow, President/Owner PICA Group of Companies
As we’ve learned from severe weather events across the country, cellular connectivity is the last thing to go down and the first thing to be back online. Since cell towers have remote generators because they are considered an essential service and vital to emergency response. If there’s a hurricane in Florida and people go without power for weeks at a time, with our solution, a house would be able to be monitored for a water leak, high humidity, or some other event, independent of power or that home’s internet connection. Operating on the cellular network helps make Skyhawk a portable and highly reliable remote monitoring solution.
What Skyhawk technology can do
If you need to monitor a remote location–either in the middle of the woods or across town– you can rely on Skyhawk. Service providers can just drop in our devices without worrying about local infrastructure for either power or wifi.
Helping businesses and individual consumers
● Remote monitoring of private property – If you own a boat, RV, or vacation home or rent a storage unit, the Skyhawk Kiwi provides a cost-effective way to remotely track the security of your possessions. It’s also a good fit if you own a vacation rental property, as with our technology, you’ll be able to monitor what is happening without intrusive video.
● Animal trapping – Whether you are a homeowner looking to deploy humane traps to catch the critter destroying your garden or own an animal control business looking to reduce labor costs, we have it covered. With Skyhawk Kiwi or Hub & Sensors, traps can be monitored remotely, sparing you an unnecessary drive to a location by alerting you if an animal is captured.
● Water leak monitoring – Property management companies need to know what is happening in all their properties. Highrises, midrises, and connected townhouses can see tremendous damage from an unreported water leak event. With these connected buildings, it can be a challenge to monitor each individual unit. Skyhawk makes it simple.
The Skyhawk difference
We provide highly reliable remote monitoring solutions for residential and commercial use.
The Skyhawk Kiwi is an economical and portable security system for the long-term remote monitoring of locations such as RVs, mobile storage units, remote storage lockers, and boats for the presence of movement. Our Hubs are pre-connected to the internet using advanced low-power cellular connectivity for reliable nationwide coverage, while Sensors detect movement and communicate with the Hubs using ultra-low power RF technology. You can deploy as many sensors as you need, with a much longer range than wifi without needing power outlets, wifi passwords, or pairing.
● Remote capability – Skyhawk solutions run on cellular services, making them highly reliable. In the event of an outage, Verizon, AT&T, and the other carriers take pride in quickly getting their services back up and running. And our hardware can handle all of the different environmental conditions that can be thrown at it.
● Compact devices that run on batteries – Our monitors do not need to be hardwired or plugged in. Our first device was launched with three AAA batteries and will last for over two years in the field. Our other devices typically run on a couple of AA batteries, and the sensors will sometimes last for 10 or more years. There are similar solutions available except that they need electrical outlets or wifi. We have developed the technology to operate on batteries for an extended time.
● Strong support and expertise from our parent company – Skyhawk products are developed and produced by PICA Product Development, part of the PICA group of companies. Located in Derry, New Hampshire, PICA has a global presence and nearly a 30-year history of helping numerous companies bring innovative products to the marketplace that are commonly used today.
Contact us to see how we can help you and to learn more about our remote monitoring solutions.
