Nilus & Myriota: Preserving Glaciers in the Chilean Andes with Satellite IoT

About Nilus: Pioneering Artificial Ice Reservoirs in Mountain Ecosystems

Nilus is a geoengineering company and environmental pioneer, dedicated to preserving mountain ecosystems through the implementation of artificial ice reservoirs. Inspired by the Himalayan communities, their mission is to create natural water storage by forming controlled ice patches in strategic high-altitude locations. These reserves aim to mitigate the effects of climate change and secure water availability in vulnerable regions.

While working at nearly 3,000 masl in the Chilean Andes mountain, Nilus faces several challenges – one of them being how to remotely monitor key environmental variables in extreme conditions, where connectivity is non-existent. The combination of high altitudes, extreme temperatures, and limited accessibility makes it challenging —and costly—to rely on manual inspections.

Partnering with Myriota, a global leader in direct-to-orbit satellite IoT, has enabled Nilus to deploy a rapid, reliable, and low-power monitoring solution using Myriota FlexSense. The system allows them to track environmental data from the mountains—without relying on cellular networks or regular site visits.

The Challenges of Monitoring Glaciers in Remote Andes Regions

Deploying and maintaining sensor networks in the Andes presents unique obstacles:

• Remote, high-altitude terrain with no cellular coverage.
  
• Rapid temperature fluctuations and severe weather conditions that strain conventional equipment.
  
• High Logistical challenges of sending personnel for data collection or diagnosis of the infrastructure.
  
• Critical need for monitoring the performance of artificial glacier reserves and track environmental indicators.
  

Nilus needed a connectivity solution that could survive harsh conditions, transmit data autonomously, and operate for extended periods without manual intervention or power infrastructure.

Satellite IoT Solution: Deploying FlexSense for Remote Monitoring

To address these challenges, Myriota and Nilus deployed FlexSense units at Valle Las Arenas site in the Chilean Andes.

Myriota FlexSense is an all-in-one satellite IoT solution that combines sensors, edge processing, and direct-to-orbit connectivity in a compact, easy-to-deploy package. Designed for harsh outdoor conditions, it requires no external infrastructure and can be deployed rapidly. Each device transmits key environmental data directly to the cloud via satellite, where it can be accessed remotely by the Nilus team.

Impact: Enhancing Water Security and Operational Efficiency 

• Improved operational efficiency by enabling remote access to the site  monitoring data.
  
• Maintained data flow despite extreme weather.

• Helped optimize site visit planning, reduce time required for diagnostics and accelerate maintenance or repair actions.

• Reduced site visits, saving time and emissions associated with travel.
  
• Contributed to better management of artificial ice reserves and climate resilience initiatives.

“Our collaboration with Myriota has enabled us to access key data from our remote site in a simple and efficient way. This has significantly improved our monitoring capabilities and increased our operational efficiency.”
— Sebastián Goldschmidt, CEO of Nilus

What’s Next: Scaling Satellite IoT for Environmental Preservation

Nilus is currently evaluating the scalability of the Myriota solution for use in other remote locations across the Andes and potentially other preservation projects in high mountains. The combination of reliable satellite data and simple deployment positions them to expand their impact across Latin America’s most vulnerable ecosystems.

The collaboration between Nilus and Myriota demonstrates how low-power satellite IoT can empower environmental innovation—even in some of the world’s most inhospitable terrains. By making data available from remote sites, this partnership supports smarter climate action and more efficient use of resources.

As glacier retreat continues to threaten water security across the region, solutions like FlexSense offer a scalable and sustainable way forward.