Quick Summary
Basecamp connectivity links search-and-rescue laptops, mapping tools and drones to each other and, where cellular service reaches, to the internet. Kajeet’s Mobile Network Kit supplies the network layer: a 5G router, a battery rated up to 10 hours and Sentinel management. It is not an edge-compute server or a satellite link, so plan for your own computers, power and offline fallbacks.
Mobile Network Kit as the Network Layer for a SAR Basecamp
Search-and-rescue connectivity starts with a portable network. Mobile Network Kit connects approved field equipment locally and reaches the internet through cellular service wherever usable coverage exists. Mission software and computing stay the team’s responsibility.
What the Kit Includes and What the Team Brings
Kajeet ships an activated router on a national network with an unlimited data plan, antennas and cables, a battery rated up to 10 hours, a rugged case, AC and DC power cords and Sentinel access. The team brings laptops, drones, mapping software, analytic models and any processing hardware. The kit connects those tools but does not include them.
Off-Grid Power Is Not Off-Grid Coverage
Off-grid here means running without utility power. It does not mean the kit creates cellular coverage across the wilderness. Pick a basecamp site that serves both the local network and the external connection your workflows need.
Build the Local Basecamp Network
Rescue WiFi and wired links serve the camp’s approved equipment, and the local network should be tested on its own, separately from internet access. Sort tasks into those that run inside the camp and those that need a remote service.
Wi-Fi and Ethernet for Field Laptops and Mapping Gear
Kajeet’s kit uses the Cradlepoint R1900 router, which provides Wi-Fi 6, four Gigabit Ethernet ports and 5G connectivity. Confirm the hardware you order and your endpoints’ compatibility. A Gigabit port rating describes the local link, not the speed of the internet connection behind it.
Keep Local Processing Separate From Uploads
A separately provided computer can process locally stored data without calling a remote service. Before you label a workflow offline-capable, confirm its licensing, authentication and data dependencies. Cloud-only analysis still needs a working external connection.
Validate Cellular Backhaul at the Deployment Site
External access depends on usable cellular backhaul where the basecamp sits. Measure the connection under expected conditions instead of trusting a coverage map or a good signal at another site.
Check Placement, Congestion and Upload Capacity
Test router and antenna placement against terrain and shelter effects. Check uploads as well as downloads, because sending imagery or synchronizing maps relies on upload capacity that a signal indicator does not show.
Plan Offline Maps and Workflows
The kit has no satellite backhaul and cannot restore remote access where every usable cellular path is gone. Load approved maps and reference data onto local machines, and agree how teams reconcile updates when connectivity returns.
| Task |
With cellular backhaul |
Without backhaul |
| Map and imagery sync |
Syncs to shared servers |
Work from preloaded maps, reconcile later |
| Drone video review |
Upload for remote analysts |
Review on local laptops |
| Team coordination tools |
Cloud-based apps work |
Use local-network apps or another channel |
| Locally stored analysis |
Runs, results shared remotely |
Runs on local computers |
The takeaway: preload anything the mission cannot do without, and treat the cellular link as an upgrade.
Budget Power for the Kit and Your Equipment Separately
The kit battery covers the network, not the whole camp. Its published rating says nothing about how long your computers, displays and chargers will run.
Test the Up-to-10-Hour Battery Rating Under Load
Kajeet rates the battery for up to 10 hours, which is a ceiling and not a guaranteed shift length. Test the actual configuration under expected conditions before building an operations schedule around it.
Plan Charging and Alternate Power
Assign someone to manage charging equipment and available AC or DC power. Budget laptops, processors and other endpoints on their own, and do not assume the kit battery can carry connected devices or retire your generator.
Plan Battery Transport and Field Readiness
Battery transport depends on the battery and the itinerary. Get the specifications and the airline’s rules before you travel.
Confirm Battery Specifications and Airline Rules
FAA lithium-battery guidance sets 100 watt-hours per lithium-ion battery as the limit without airline approval. Batteries from 101 to 160 watt-hours need approval, and spare batteries must travel in carry-on bags. The FAA also notes that many airlines apply stricter limits. Kajeet describes the kit battery as FAA-compliant but its kit page does not publish a watt-hour rating, so ask Kajeet for the figure and confirm it with your airline.
Do Not Infer a Rating From Runtime
Runtime does not reveal watt-hours. Have the transport owner verify the actual battery, whether it is installed or spare, and the carrier’s current rules for each flight.
Test Mission Applications and Contingency Communications
A working network does not prove that a drone workflow, analytic model or location system suits the mission. Test the actual software with the equipment and conditions you expect in the field.
Validate Drone Video and Map Synchronization
Drone video and map synchronization are the heaviest typical loads, so test them together with the team’s concurrent traffic. Use Sentinel’s device and data visibility to see what the connection carries, and leave application performance to the mission owner.
Keep Operational Permissions and Location Systems Separate
The kit does not authorize drone operations or locate survivors. Maintain the required operational permissions and an exercised fallback. CISA’s PACE resource describes a Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency plan for communications, built in advance and practiced before an incident.
Questions SAR Teams Should Resolve Before Deployment
Answer these before the team leaves, and test loss of backhaul and power before you rely on the setup:
- Workflows: Who validates local and external workflows?
- Equipment: Who supplies processing equipment, charges batteries and checks transport rules?
- Support: Who handles router, carrier and application problems?
Summary: Design the Basecamp Around Tested Dependencies
A search-and-rescue basecamp needs a network, mission equipment, power and workable alternatives. Separate local processing from remote transfers, verify the deployment site and give each operating responsibility an owner. To match a kit to your team, talk with Kajeet about Mobile Network Kit configurations for field basecamps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mobile Network Kit an edge-compute server?
No. It supplies networking, not general-purpose processing. Your team brings and validates its own computers, software, drones and analytic models.
Does off-grid operation mean no cellular service is needed?
No. Battery power removes the dependence on utility power, not the need for a usable cellular signal when you reach for remote services.
Do Gigabit Ethernet ports mean Gigabit internet?
No. The ports set the speed of the local link. Internet speed depends on the cellular connection at your site, so measure it there.
Does the battery rating cover the whole basecamp?
No. The up-to-10-hour rating applies to the kit. Budget power separately for computers, displays and other mission equipment.
Is the kit approved for every flight?
Not automatically. Check the battery’s watt-hour rating, how it is packed and the airline’s restrictions for your itinerary.
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