AGU-1 Aircraft Gateway Unit

The installed gateway for fully connected fleet operations

Engineered to meet DO-160G and designed to satisfy NAFC, U.S. Forest Service and CONAF tracking requirements, the AGU-1 reports position every 15 seconds over cellular and falls back to Iridium satellite the moment coverage drops, so dispatch, the Fire IC and the operations centre never lose sight of an aircraft on tasking.

The AGU-1 connects you to every mission moment

Compliant tracking and automated event capture bring everything together in a single installed gateway

The AGU-1 is engineered for the operators and agencies that fly the fireground. The AGU-1 connects to the aircraft itself, capturing engine start and stop, take-off and landing, and hover entry and exit automatically, and pushing the data to TracPlus Cloud and FireFlyte in real time over cellular and Iridium satellite.

For agencies, that means defensible compliance with NAFC, U.S. Forest Service and CONAF reporting standards, with 15-second position updates and structured mission events delivered straight into FireFlyte or TracPlus platforms.

For operators, it means every drop, fill and hover is captured automatically: feeding utilisation reporting, billing and post-incident review without paperwork on the line. Built to operate from -45 °C to +70 °C and up to 35,000 feet in an anodised aluminium enclosure, the AGU-1 is hardware specified to survive a full fire season in the panel.

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Compliant tracking

15-second cellular and 1-minute Iridium position reports, dual-network redundancy and engineered DO-160G qualification, purpose-built to meet the tracking requirements of NAFC, the U.S. Forest Service, CONAF and the agencies that contract them. Data lands in TracPlus Cloud or FireFlyte without integration work.

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Every mission event, captured automatically

Engine start/stop, take-off, landing, hover entry and hover exit are detected automatically through the AGU-1's six configurable discrete inputs and onboard logic. Pair it with the AMS AFDAU-T1 to add drops, fills and retardant events, turning every tasking into a complete, time-stamped mission record fed directly into FireFlyte or TracPlus Cloud platforms and your reporting workflows.

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Built for the fireground

Anodised aluminium enclosure, -45 °C to +70 °C operating range, 35,000 ft operating altitude, and a robust D-Sub 26 installation. Dual-network communications keep aircraft visible through cellular dead zones and remote terrain. Cloud-managed configuration and over-the-air firmware updates mean a season-long fleet can be updated without pulling aircraft out of service.

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AGU-1 features

How the AGU-1 can support your team
  • Designed for NAFC, U.S. Forest Service and CONAF tracking compliance
  • 15-second cellular position reports; 1-minute Iridium position reports
  • Dual 4G LTE Cat 1 and Iridium SBD communications with automatic fail-over
  • Concurrent GNSS reception across GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou
  • Automatic detection of engine start/stop, take-off, landing, hover entry/exit
  • Direct integration with the AMS AFDAU-T1 for drop, fill and retardant events
  • Native integration with TracPlus Cloud and FireFlyte
  • Cloud-managed configuration, firmware and device provisioning
  • 6× configurable discrete inputs for mission-specific events
  • 2× digital outputs for emergency and fail-status indicators
  • ARINC 429 receiver and CAN Bus for direct aircraft-system integration
  • Dual RS-232 transceivers for mission equipment integration
  • WiFi and Bluetooth LE for local connectivity and on-aircraft configuration
  • Permanent installation via robust high-density D-Sub 26 connector
  • BNC and TNC connections for external Iridium, GNSS and cellular antennas
  • USB-C for on-bench configuration and basic tracking
  • Operates from -45 °C to +70 °C, up to 35,000 ft
  • Anodised machined aluminium enclosure built for vibration and heat
  • Engineered to meet DO-160G
  • Compatible with FireFlyte, Track Plus Cloud, and other agency reporting partners

A Complete Real-Time Telemetry Solution for Aerial Firefighting

How the AGU-1 and AFDAU-T1 devices work together
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Together, the AGU-1 Aircraft Gateway Unit and AFDAU-T1 Aerial Firefighting Data Acquisition Unit give agencies and operators a single standardized telemetry stack built to meet NAFC, U.S. Forest Service, and CONAF additional telemetry (ATU) requirements. 

This powerful duo provides an extensive set of airframe sensor integrations, making Firefighting Agency real-time reporting compliance simple

The AFDAU-T1 connects directly to certified onboard systems, including load cells, buckets, tanks, hoppers, and engine monitoring devices, applying industry-leading algorithms to generate verified, high-accuracy event messages for fills, drops, engine start/stop, take-off and landing, hover entry and exit, and hover pump activity.

The AGU-1 then transmits those events in real time to TracPlus Cloud, mapping providers, and agency reporting systems via Iridium satellite, with automatic fail-over ensuring continuous reporting from the most remote fire grounds.

The result is a consistent, audit-ready data stream across every contracted aircraft, giving agency leadership the verified situational awareness and contract compliance evidence needed to manage fleets with confidence.

Specifications

AGU-1 product details
Dimensions 123.5mm × 94.5mm × 25.3mm
Weight 0.3 kg
Construction Anodised machined aluminium enclosure
Mounting 4× 10-32 UNC tapped mounting threads; 4× 8-32 holes in flanged base
 Connectors High-density D-Sub 26 pin; BNC and TNC coaxial; USB-C
Inputs 6× configurable digital discrete inputs, 2× RS-232, ARINC 429 Rx, CAN Bus
Outputs 2× digital outputs (emergency / fail status), 2× RS-232
Antennas External Iridium, GNSS and cellular (BNC/TNC)

 

 Input voltage 9–30 VDC; USB-C 5 VDC for bench configuration
Power consumption 12 W max (peak); 8 W typical
Satellite network Iridium SBD
Cellular network 4G LTE Cat 1 (with UMTS/HSPA+ and GSM/GPRS/EDGE fallback)
GNSS Concurrent GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou
Local wireless
 WiFi, Bluetooth LE
Operating temperature
 -45 °C to +70 °C
Storage temperature -55 °C to +85 °C
Operating altitude Up to 35,000 ft
Environmental qualification Engineered to meet RTCA DO-160G
Compliance Expected RCM, UKCA, CE, FCC

 

Documentation

Set up your AGU-1

AGU-1 device brochure

File size: 5 MB
Last updated: May 14, 2026

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AGU-1 product specification

File size: 655 KB
Last updated: May 14, 2026

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AGU-1 Aircraft Gateway Unit Installation Manual

File size: 1.4 MB
Last updated: May 14, 2026

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Service letter for AGU-1’s internal keep-alive lithium battery modification

File size: 170 KB
Last updated: May 14, 2026

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You're in good company

TracPlus is trusted by 700+ customers in 40+ countries around the world. 

"We have noticed considerable savings with RockAIR and love the 15 second reporting times which are much more accurate."

FOUNDER, SOUTH PACIFIC HELICOPTERS Dan Stevenson

TracPlus stands out as the most reliable option for tracking aircraft in challenging backcountry locations due to its superior accuracy and ability to operate without relying on cell connections. This ensures that aircraft can be monitored and tracked regardless of remote or difficult terrain, which is crucial for maintaining safety and operational oversight in such environments.

OPERATIONS MANAGER, HELISIKA HELICOPTER Jaz Gribble

We use TracPlus for tracking our fleet and staff, as well as recording coordinates of every job for The Agricultural Chemicals Usage Database.

CHIEF PILOT, CENTRAL AIRWORK Mark Brooker

Submit your details below to get detailed AGU-1 pricing and a FREE demo of TracPlus Cloud upon request.

 

Not fully sure yet? You can contact us at sales@tracplus.com to discover more.