Flexbea A miniature distress beacon integrated into maritime safety equipment

The FLEXBEA project involved developing a new form of low-cost miniature distress beacon for integration into maritime safety equipment, such as life rafts and life jackets, for the benefit of industry professionals and leisure boating crews.

The beacon was developed as part of the FLEXBEA project. Syrlinks designed the beacon (mechanical structure and innovative waterproof plastics processing). Plastimo was involved in its integration into the life jacket and in the trials at sea, and IETR carried out the radio antennae simulation.

Smaller than a mobile phone, the beacon weighs just 95 g. Its miniaturisation is a major innovation and it is marketed as the smallest AIS-MOB device available (20% to 50% smaller than competing products). Once activated, the beacon transmits the GPS of the stranded individual via VHF waves on the AIS network. Ships or coastguard stations in radio range of a radius of 5 to 10 miles are immediately aware that the person is in distress and of his/her position. The beacon is equipped with a long-range radio antenna and a flashing LED signal light.

Marketed as My-AIS, this beacon has been commercially available since May 2017 under the brand name Simy, trademark of the Syrlinks company. (www.simy-beacons.com). The commercial development of Simy is continuing both at home in France and also in export markets abroad, with the product range being extended (My-CS1 under development) and the Simy brand diversifying into other types of beacons and personal safety products.

In spring 2018, sales were three times higher than targeted with stock-outs lasting several weeks. The new brand has set itself the target in 2019 of tripling the 2018 sales figures, particularly for exports.

Product certification is being studied for the US market, which is twenty times bigger than the domestic market in France.