Govt Launches Satellite-based Disaster Warning Device GEMINI for Fishermen

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) along with Airports Authority of India (AAI) has launched the Gagan Enabled Mariner’s Instrument for Navigation and Information (GEMINI) device.
Aim: To provide seamless and effective dissemination of emergency information and communication on disaster warnings, Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) and Ocean States Forecasts (OSF) to fishermen far away from coastal areas.
The GEMINI is a portable device that will use GAGAN (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation) satellite system developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and AAI to receive alert information highly useful in dealing with cyclones, high waves and tsunamis.
The GAGAN satellite system consists of three geosynchronous satellites namely the GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and GSAT-15 and these three cover the entire Indian Ocean region constantly.

All the key alerts and messages sent through GAGAN will be received by GEMINI device which will then transfer the information to a GEMINI app on mobile phones through Bluetooth communication. The mobile application would then decode and display the information to the user in nine languages.
Till now the fishermen received the warnings information through mechanism such as Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) advisories, ocean state forecasts, high wave alerts, tsunami and storm surge early warning services. But all these messages could be transmitted up to 10 to 12 km from the coast.

Source: PIB