DEV KIT WEEKLY: Iridium Certus 9704 Satellite IoT Developer Kit
June 30, 2025
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Hello, developers and engineers! Welcome to DevKit Weekly.
I’m Ken Briodagh, Editor in Chief at Embedded Computing Design, and this week on DevKit Weekly, we're going to take a look at the Certus 9704 Satellite IoT Developer Kit from Iridium.
The Iridium Certus 9704 module is designed to load global satellite coverage into a compact form factor like this development board without any cables or added parts — just a single component soldered directly onto the developer PCB using Land Grid Array (LGA) technology. This allows you to build compact, rugged, and versatile devices that can be connected anywhere.
In terms of operating conditions and resiliency, the CERTUS 9704 is tested to an Operating temperature of -40° to +85° C or -40 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (incl. self-heating), Storage temperatures between -40° and +125° C, or -40 to 257 degrees Fahrenheit, and a Moisture Sensitivity Level 3. It’s also certified by all the required authorities, including FCC in the US, EU/CE, and ISED Canada.
This DevKit is an all-in-one kit for satellite IoT development, with the pre-provisioned Iridium Certus 9704 module included, and an Arduino-based testing environment all set up so you can get a taste of the Iridium Messaging Transport system, or IMT. The hardware is ready to go, the software is easy to use and available by scanning an included QR code, and the satellite connectivity components make it simple to get connected and create a test for engineers or even novice users alike.
In addition to the board, antenna and power supply, you also get a MicroSD Card for memory and a USB-C Cable for connecting another peripheral.
Obviously, the kit is designed to showcase the abilities of the Iridium Certus 9704 Module, so it makes sense to talk about what you can expect from that module. The 9704 is 2 square inches in size footprint for easy integration and has low power specs for active and idle modes so it will last a long time in the field once deployed. Iridium says it is expected to deliver more than a decade of continuous service, even in hard to access and remote deployments.
It’s designed to work with small-aperture antennas, like the Helical Iridium Antenna included in the kit, and it exclusively uses the cloud-native, server-device messaging through the IMT system that is designed to optimize the Iridium network to match increasing demand. IMT is engineered to use the most network-efficient methods for carrying IoT data
The most important thing to know about the Iridium Certus 9704 Satellite IoT Developer Kit is that there is no simpler or more cost-effective way to discover if satellite solves the connectivity struggle for your next project. In a remote IoT implementation for supply chain or Industrial, satellite is often a good fit, and the Certus 9704 is a solid and dependable way to get into the constellation.
If you want the Certus 9704 DevKit, you can buy one of your own for $499. Iridium also has generously made one available for our DevKit Weekly raffle. To win, go to this link and fill out the form. We’ll keep the form up for 30 days and then you’ll be notified by email if you’re randomly selected.
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That's all for this edition of DevKit Weekly. I’ve been Ken Briodagh with Embedded Computing Design and as always, thank you for watching and we'll see you on the next edition of DevKit Weekly!
