China’s MIIT approves first commercial pilot program for satellite-based IoT services

China's private space company Beijing Guodian High-Tech Technology Co has received approval from Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) to conduct the country's first commercial pilot program for satellite-based Internet of Things (IoT) services, the company told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The approval allows the company to launch a two-year trial using its Tianqi constellation network, which consists of 41 satellites now.

Satellite IoT services refer to low-data-rate connectivity enabled by satellite communication technology, providing wide-area network links for data collection terminals, wearable devices, handheld units, as well as vehicles such as cars, ships, and aircraft.

According to the MIIT website, the Tianqi constellation is designed to deliver wide coverage, low power consumption, and high reliability IoT connectivity, enabling all-weather, intelligent data collection and remote control across sectors including marine fisheries, energy and water conservancy, transportation, and logistics.

As China's satellite communications industry continues to accelerate commercialization, satellite IoT is expected to become an important complement to the country's broadband satellite internet system. The approved pilot program is also aimed at stimulating private-sector vitality, supporting commercial space development, fostering new quality productive forces, and advancing a modern industrial system, said the MIIT. 

Driven by stronger policy support, faster large-scale constellation deployment, and rising commercial demand, China's satellite internet industry reached 45.41 billion yuan ($6.3 billion) in 2025 and is expected to maintain growth momentum from 2026 to 2028, according to industry analysis cited by a Xinhua News Agency report on March 17, 2026.

Globally, the satellite internet application market is projected to exceed $30 billion by 2030, with direct-to-device users rising to around 130 million and potential IoT terminal connections reaching 10.6 billion units. The next three to five years are seen as a critical transition period for China's satellite internet sector, shifting from investment-driven expansion to returns, with market potential expected to grow further alongside constellation deployment and application rollout, the report said.

The approval provides important policy support for Beijing Guodian High-Tech Technology Co to expand satellite IoT application scenarios. The company said it will use the pilot program to offer wider-area IoT data collection and transmission services across multiple sectors, supporting the safe and healthy development of emerging industries such as commercial space and low-altitude economy.