How The SOS Emergency Management Works

Spidertracks' SOS Emergency Management system is designed to alert designated contacts in your organisation during an emergency, using SMS, email, and map alerts.

SOS Activation Methods:

1. Manual Activation

The pilot can manually trigger an SOS by pressing the SOS button on the Spider device. This will appear on the map as Status: Open.

A. Event Log Panel - In the Event of a Manual SOS.

• Will push the aircraft that has experienced the SOS to the top of the active list.
• Shows if the SOS button or keypad was pressed.
• Event Timestamps: Shows when alerts or updates occurred.

B. SOS Alert Details.

• Aircraft Information with the timestamp of where the SOS was raised.
• Location and Latitude.
• Altitude, Speed and Direction.
• Tier 1 Contact Information: Displays who is notified first in an emergency.
• Gives Tier 1 operators the option to either close or escalate the SOS to Tier 2.

C. Visual Pin: Marks the aircraft’s last known location.

2. Automatic Activation (Watch Mode)

If the Spider loses power for 15 minutes, an SOS is automatically triggered. This appears as the 'Last Point' in the track history.

A. Event Log Panel - In the Event of a Watch Raised SOS

• Will push the aircraft that has experienced the SOS to the top of the active list.
• Shows the message 'Watch Timeout'.
• Event Timestamps: Shows when alerts or updates occurred.

When Watch mode triggers an SOS alert, notifications are sent first to the designated Tier One contacts. If the alert remains unresolved after 15 minutes, Tier Two contacts will then receive the notification.

What is a Tier One Member

Tier one support people are the first group to receive an SOS message. In the event of Watch SOS or a pilot-activated SOS, these people will receive an email and text message with the SOS details. Tier one people should attempt to make contact with the pilot and either resolve or escalate the SOS within 15 minutes. They may be required to call search and rescue authorities, as the authorities are not automatically informed of an SOS.

What is a Tier Two Member

Tier Two support people are the second group to receive an SOS message. In the event of a Watch SOS or a pilot-activated SOS, these people will receive an email and text message with the SOS details fifteen minutes after the tier-one people have been alerted, but only if the SOS remains unresolved. Tier two support people should make contact with the tier one support people, as well as the pilot. They may be required to call search and rescue authorities.

Note: If you are a Tier One support person, you will be notified if the SOS is escalated to Tier Two.

Notifications

• When an SOS alert is triggered, selected contacts will hear a repeating audible notification every 5 minutes.
• They will also receive an alert via email, SMS, or both, depending on their notification settings.

Email Notifications

The email contains the following information:

1. The Aircraft that raised the alert.

2. A link which will redirect you to the website to view the track. 

3. Latitude and longitude, Altitude and Speed of the last point received.

 

SMS Notifications

The SOS SMS also allows you to immediately close or escalate to Tier Two emergency contacts.

To Esculate, reply with SOS.

1. A link which will redirect you to the website to view the track. 

2. Texting Close will cancel the SOS from the mobile device.

Closing an SOS

When an SOS has been closed, the panel information will update.

Hovering over Closed will tell you:

• who closed it.
• when.
• How (SMS, Email or Web).

 

What if I want to see a log of all the SOS that have been triggered?

You will need to go to the History Page and filter the flights by using the SOS filter.

• Closed: which shows the alerts that have been closed.
• Active: which shows all fights where an SOS have been triggered.

FAQ

Q. Do you have to long-press the red button to activate the SOS, or is it just a short press?
A. It is just a normal press, no need to hold the button down. This is enough for an alert to be sent.

Q. Once you’ve activated an SOS via the button, can you press it again to deactivate the SOS?

• Spider X: From firmware v7.1.3, the SOS can be cancelled by long press (until beep stops) on the Spider SOS button or the keypad SOS button (if present).
• Flightcell DZMx: The SOS can be cancelled from the keypad.
• Older Spider models: The device will remain in SOS mode for the duration of that flight.

 

Notes

If you escalate the alert to Tier 2 members, all members involved will receive another notification (email or SMS if selected)

If you close the alert, all members who received a notification will also be alerted that the SOS alert was closed by a member of the account.

IMPORTANT: If you or an SOS recipient are travelling out of the country, please check with your carrier to ensure they allow SMS messages while travelling. We also strongly recommend testing via the Notifications System to confirm SMS delivery.

 

For further help or assistance, please email us at [e-mail]