INTELINK

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

INTELINK is Druid’s proprietary near-field communication framework designed to connect terminal devices, gateways, and mobile applications into a unified data exchange ecosystem.

All Druid devices, regardless of whether they primarily use satellite, cellular, or local communication, are equipped with a baseline INTELINK 2.4 GHz module. This ensures that every device can interact locally with smartphones or gateways for configuration, data retrieval, and diagnostics, even in the absence of network connectivity.

For extended-range field applications, enhanced versions of INTELINK are available. These include upgraded 2.4 GHz modules with improved transmission ability, and long-range variants operating at 470 MHz or 860 MHz. Together, these configurations allow Druid’s ecosystem to cover interaction distances from a few meters up to ten kilometers.

INTELINK ARCHITECTURE

INTELINK Type	Frequency Band	Typical Range	Description
INTELINK 2.4 GHz	2.4 GHz	Up to 1.2 km	Embedded in all Druid devices. Supports short-range data exchange, gateway synchronization, and mobile device interaction. Supports INTAG technology.
INTELINK 470 MHz / 860 MHz	470/860 MHz	Up to 10 km	Long-range low-power communication layer for regional networking and real-time telemetry in areas without cellular coverage. The 470 MHz version also supports UBILINK technology.

This tiered design allows Druid systems to flexibly combine short-range interaction, regional networking, and global connectivity, depending on project needs and field conditions.

TECHNICAL COMPONENTS

INTELINK 2.4 GHz: Universal Short-Range Communication

INTELINK 2.4 GHz functions as the fundamental interface for device interaction. It allows:

Short-distance wireless configuration and data exchange via the Ecotopia/IntelinkGO App;
Local firmware updates, diagnostics, and sensor calibration;
Interactive testing or recovery in environments without satellite or cellular coverage.

The enhanced 2.4 GHz version extends the communication range up to 1.2km while maintaining identical functionality, providing flexibility for colony-level data collection, dense roost monitoring, or pen-based wildlife studies.

Druid’s patented INTERING protocol is also built upon the INTELINK 2.4 GHz capability, enabling:

Anonymous, encrypted, and automatic handshake with nearby smart devices;
Passive beacon location generating without user intervention;
Formation of a massive global relay network, turning ordinary smartphones into data relays for scientific and conservation purposes.

INTELINK 470/860 MHz: Extended Mid-Range Communication

Druid extended the INTELINK system using LPWAN technology, designed for robust performance under diverse ecological and environmental conditions.

INTELINK 470 MHz is designed for long-range communication up to 10 km in open areas. This version typically includes an external antenna and supports integration with the UBILINK satellite system for space–ground hybrid communication.
INTELINK 860 MHz is designed for compact, antenna-free applications, with the range up to 5km in open area.

Devices using INTELINK 470/860 MHz also operate under the same protocol stack as the 2.4 GHz INTELINK, ensuring seamless interoperability within the Druid ecosystem.

TRANSMISSION PERFORMANCE

	INTELINK 2.4 GHz	INTELINK 470 MHz	INTELINK 860 MHz
Typical Range	With phone: 5-150m; With HUB: 200-1200m (depending on model)	up to 10km with HUB	up to 5km with HUB
Power Consumption	Low	Moderate	Moderate
Antenna Type	Internal	External	Internal
Date Rate	High	Moderate	Moderate

WORKING PRINCIPLES & ARCHITECTURE

ADAPTIVE LINK MANAGEMENT

INTELINK is designed with an adaptive link management system, enabling devices to automatically select the most appropriate communication channel available at any given moment.

When a device equipped with multiple INTELINK modules (for example, 2.4 GHz and 470 MHz) detects a smartphone or a gateway nearby, it will automatically establish a connection with lower power consumption rate or higher data rate.
If the device also supports UBILINK satellite or cellular communication, data can seamlessly switch between local and remote uplinks without user intervention.

This intelligent, context-aware switching ensures that the device remains connected regardless of changing environmental or network conditions — whether it encounters a phone, a gateway, or relies on satellite fallback in remote regions.

HIERARCHICAL COMMUNICATION FLOW

INTELINK operates through a layered architecture:

Smartphone exchange (2.4 GHz): Configuration, data synchronization, diagnostics, and short-range communication through the Ecotopia App
Gateway exchange (2.4 GHz / 470 MHz / 860 MHz): Automated data relay between field devices and cloud
Cellular transmission (2G/3G/4G/5G): Alternative transmission when local link is unavailable
Satellite uplink (UBILINK/Argos/IRIDIUM): Global coverage for remote regions

This multi-layered workflow guarantees both local operational efficiency and global connectivity — a unique hybrid advantage of the INTELINK ecosystem.

WHAT INTELINK CAN DO?

DATA RELAY

Data collected by Debut series devices can be retrieved by a compatible gateway through INTELINK, either manually or automatically.

Any people using a smartphone can scan for nearby devices and download the data stored in them. This data is instantly uploaded in an encrypted way to the cloud server when the phone is connected to cellular network or Wi-Fi.

Alternatively, you can deploy a gateway in the wild field to scan for devices autonomously. Once connected, the gateway will download data from the device and automatically upload via its own cellular or satellite connection to the network.

Note: Downloading data from devices will require that the mobile App logging into an authorized account, or the automatic gateway be assigned with certain whitelist.

DEVICE MANAGEMENT: FOR POWER SAVING

A Debut gateway device can manage other Debut devices through a while-list. Below are some functions supported through such management.

Power saving: The gateway can suspend certain working tasks (e.g., network connection, GPS fixing, certain type of data collection) for the devices that enter its scanning zone.
Setting modification: The gateway can store the setting modification you want to make for certain devices, and deliver the settings to the devices when connected.
Firmware upgrade: The gateway can store the firmware you want to upgrade for certain devices, and upgrade their firmware when connected.

NEST-USAGE STATISTICS

A gateway device near the nest will automatically records the time when an animal wearing Debut device enters or exits its scanning zone. This generates important data referring to nest usage and parenting strategies.

BEACON POSITIONING

Every time a Debut series device is detected by a gateway — such as HUB, TAG G, BADGE G, or any Debut terminal with gateway functionality — the detection event is automatically recorded.

Each record, containing a timestamp and the gateway’s own geographic coordinates, contributes a beacon position to the detected device.

This approach provides periodic, low-power positional updates ideal for large-scale ecological monitoring.

GROUND SEARCH

When a mobile phone installed with Ecotopia/IntelinkGO App is connected–either directly or through a relay gadget–to a Debut device, a ground search system is formed.

Turning on the “Finding Device” function within the App, the phone will start to monitor the INTELINK signals broadcast from nearby Debut devices. When a device is detected in proximity, the phone will make intermittent beeping sound to indicate. The closer the distance, the bigger volume and more rapid the beeping sound, and the signal strength (in dBm) will also show as a chart on the phone screen.

This offers a convenient and intuitive way to locate animal or fallen-off devices in the wide field. Upon nearing the devices, users can also download all data stored in the devices without having the device in hand.

INTERING POSITIONING

Any smartphone running the Ecotopia/IntelinkGO App can interact with nearby Debut devices via Bluetooth and contribute its own GNSS location at that moment, much like a “sighting report” from a bird watcher.

Leveraging the INTERING protocol, these citizen-contributed detections are encrypted, uploaded to the cloud, and aggregated to reconstruct individual movement trajectories.

In open environments, the detection range can exceed 100 meters, forming a spontaneous network of mobile gateways.

ACCELEROMETRY DATA STREAMING

Most of Debut series devices are equipped with accelerometer capable of output x/y/z accelerometry data at 5~100Hz. Such data is typically used for behavioral research, particularly when synchronized with GPS, environmental variables, and individual activity patterns.

Utilizing INTELINK, users can not only download accelerometry data from the device memory, but also access it in real-time by streamlining it directly through the wireless connection between a Debut device and your mobile phone, assisted or not assisted by a gateway to lengthen the connection distance.

IN-SITU BEHAVIOR MODELING

When accessing real-time continuous raw acceleration data as described above, users can also annotate the data with behavior tags via the Ecotopia/IntelinkGO App.

With INTELINK facilitating the connection, real-time x/y/z acceleration data from the device linked to your phone is visualized on the phone screen via the Ecotopia/IntelinkGO App. Simultaneously, the App records videos using the phone’s camera.

While observing the birds through your phone, you can tap to apply behavior tags in real-time. These behavior tags, along with the data and video, are combined under precise timestamps and saved on your phone. Later, you can upload to webpage for subsequent analysis, further calibration, and validation.

With the assistance of Druid’s AniAct^® behavior algorithm platform, users can create species-specific x/y/z accelerometry data-based behavior algorithms. Moreover, these algorithms can be uploaded back into the device and executed onboard. Subsequently, the device automatically processes accelerometry data using the on-board algorithm, recognizes the behavior, and transmits behavior tags as the computation results.

This is designed to solve the problem of high energy consumption, data story burden, and expensive data roaming cost caused by transmitting raw accelerometry data. Additionally, it reduces the workload of processing vast volumes of raw data again and again.

This functionality introduces a new dimension of data, offering fresh insights into bird research and conservation efforts.

CITIZEN SCIENCE

INTELINK technology facilitates diverse interactions between bird tracking devices and smartphones, offering novel avenues for volunteers and the general public to contribute to scientific research and conservation efforts.

Here are some potential ways:

With over 3 billion smartphone users worldwide, each device serves as a potential mobile “gateway”. By simply tapping on the Ecotopia/IntelinkGO App to scan for birds in their vicinity, individuals can provide precise reports of bird resighting, including accurate location and time information. These reports are promptly forwarded to the relevant researchers, who can then share them within the species’ online community.
Beyond resighting reports, users can utilize the Ecotopia/IntelinkGO App to download/upload data stored in the devices. Imagine the excitement for researchers when their data is safely updated by helpers they’ve never met.
Advanced users can further contribute by applying behavior tags through the in-situ modeling function, drawing upon their own knowledge and observations. This collective input from participants worldwide could culminate in a shared database with varying levels of contribution, enriching research endeavors globally.

Visit the IntelinkGO webpage for more information: https://www.intelinkgo.com/.

ABOUT GATEWAY

GATEWAY OPTIONS

The gateway can be an ordinary smart phone with Bluetooth function, or a Debut HUB, QUEST, or TAG G. Select the gateway that suit your project.

Type	Photo	Range (Optimal)	Operation	Description
Phone		200m	Manual	Accessible anytime, anywhere, at no extra cost, the system taps into a vast potential network of over 3 billion mobile gateways across the globe.
Phone +QUEST		400m	Manual	USB-sized rechargeable device (26 grams) engineered to extend the INTELINK range of mobile phone.
Phone +QUEST III		600m	Manual	Yagi antenna (62cm long, 230 grams) crafted to amplify the INTELINK range of mobile phone. This is highly directional antenna, which is particularly suitable for ground searching tasks.
TAG G		600m	Manual / Auto	Palm-sized solar charging device (32g) designed for easy hanging in any garden area. Affordable enough to blanket every residential region.
HUB		– 1200m (2.4Hz) – 5 km (470/860 MHz, extend to 10 km with long antenna)	Manual / Auto	Router-sized device (730 grams) encased in metal housing (IP68), powered by battery, solar energy, or cable. Featuring high-resolution scanning capabilities, it stands as the most durable option for wilderness environments.

GATEWAY PRICING

Sub Model-Name	Device （Feed Subscription）		Ecotopia Data Services (per unit per year)	Debut Renewal Plan
Sub Model-Name	Retail Price	Promotion Price	Ecotopia Data Services (per unit per year)	Debut Renewal Plan
HUB 2G	999	899	119.88	199
HUB 4G	1099	999	119.88	249
HUB Wi-Fi	1099	999	59.88	249
TAG G III 4G	199	99	60	99
QUEST	199	79	/	/
QUEST III	199	/	/	/

Note: The prices are in EUR.
All the above prices are net prices. Taxes should be added where applicable. Prices include shipping costs to EU countries.

KEY WORKING PARAMETERS

Debut series gateway devices have many working parameters, below are some that should be tailored to your application scenario.

Scanning mode: By default, the gateway is set to scan in a duty cycle mode, e.g. 30 seconds in every 60s. Such setting has taken into consideration of energy balance with moderate solar charging in the long run. You can request to change that to suit your scenario.
Device data access: By default, the gateway can download data only from devices that are added onto its while list. With approval, you can configure your gateway to “super” mode to download data from all passing by Debut devices.
Scanning statistics: When this function is enabled, the gateway will record the details of each scanning task it conducted, including the timestamp and signal strength between it and each scanned device. Due to the large data amount, this function is disabled by default. If such data is critical to your project, you can request to turn it on.