FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The product/service (known as Bloodhound Tracking Device {BTD}) is a non-invasive, organic, self-sustaining comprehensive (near) real-time global tracking/monitoring and reporting system.  Each BTD unit is a complete system consisting of hardware and software that, from the moment of installation/initiation automatically precisely locates itself (and therefore whatever it is installed in/on) and maintains precise global location/tracking and custody.  The BTD System simultaneously, automatically and continually monitors the environmental and security conditions of the cargo inside of the container/truck van.

The BTD System is a combination of hardware and software that allows the user to locate a container, trailer/van (53 ft.) and/or a chassis anywhere in the world.  Additionally, the BTD System provides the ability to monitor environmental and security conditions of the cargo and environment inside of the container/truck van.

Further, the Bloodhound System Detects:

• • Container door breaches, automatically takes pictures of the breach (saving the photo(s) internally, of the intrusion) and (can) automatically transmit the photo(s) per the customers desires.
    • Various gasses including:
    • CO2 (to detect evidence of Human Trafficking)
  • Ammonia
  • VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) levels above pre-determined safety levels
  • Temperature, humidity, and air quality
  • An accelerometer is also included which detects potentially damaging events during shipment.

Container, chassis, trailer/van

See Number 7

Proprietary Bloodhound Software back-end holds the data and provides it to the user in two ways: A user can directly access the data on their units through a web-based User Interface and dashboard, or the user may connect their in-house track and trace and logistics operations software to Bloodhound using Bloodhound’s API.

Data is continuously available to the user. Although user-defined to meet their needs, BTD’s standard operating mode (when the environment is in a steady state) is to send updates, from deployed units, globally every 3 hours.  In North America the “Ping-rate” is every 15 minutes.

Yes, data sharing is at the lessee’s determination.

A. Features:

Security:  An important aspect of  BTD’s security is its inherent anonymity; stealth if you will, which is achieved by the “instrumentation unit” (IU)  located “hidden” inside the container or trailer/van,  with its’  (BTD’s patented) ability to communicate with  the outside Communications Unit (CU), . With the container door closed,  the presence of the IU cannot be detected from outside the container/van nor are there any clues/characterizations that would betray that BTD was installed.  This is because BTD is a completely self-contained system with no bolts, cables, drilling, or unusual/out-of-place attachments to the outside of the container/van.  Furthermore, the CU, or communications unit, is designed to look exactly like a common Container Vent.  This uniqueness is only found in our  Bloodhound technology, no other provider has this feature.  Security is enhanced by the sensing ability of the IU to detect a door breach event, immediately capture photos and stores the event.  BTD transmits an alert along with the location, condition, and images of the event to Bloodhound’s data processing system and operations center.  Additionally, the IU also senses the air and environmental conditions (atmospheric gasses,  temperature, humidity, etc.) and provides that data with every update thus  providing the user with up to minute data of the state of the goods inside the container/trailer anywhere in the world.  Alert conditions can be set by the user to “alarm” should the shipment environment exceed pre-set values of humidity, temperature, or atmospheric composition.

Tracking:  The Bloodhound unit employs Triple Redundant communication paths.  The Bloodhound system communicates with Bloodhound’s cloud-based data processing system and operation center through worldwide cellular data, SATCOM, and through Bloodhound’s patented disruption-tolerant (self-forming/self-healing) mesh network techniques. This level of “meshing, saving data and sending” is exclusive to Bloodhound and is one part of what makes the Bloodhound system unique and reliable.  Trailer/Van and Chassis units are double redundant, with the cellular and DTN Mesh network capabilities.  Container units are additionally fitted with global SATCOM capabilities.

B. What does the User Interface show you?  See 7c below.

C. How long does it work?  Bloodhound Units (both IU and CU) are built to last up to 10 years in the field. Average battery life of the CU/IU are specified to run 3-5 years.  However, exclusively for Bloodhound Users is the fact that Customer leases include routine maintenance and battery replacement as necessary, continuously monitored by Bloodhound’s 24/7 operations center.  This along with the IU and CU being Line Replaceable Units (LRU), meaning if the unit goes bad, a replacement unit is provided (within 24 hours), removes the burden and cost of Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for the Bloodhound system from the customer.

A.  Benefits:  The benefits are numerous, depending on the type of Bloodhound Unit you are leasing.

EVERYONE wants to know where their products are, and what condition they are in.  Bloodhound units provide accuracies on the order of 10m, both moving and for stationary locations.  Additionally, Bloodhound’s ability to sense the conditions inside of the container/van provides critical information on the safety, condition, and security of shipments regularly, with immediate notification of alert conditions. Bloodhound provides this even when a container cannot “see the sky” (such as when deep in a container stack in a terminal) by relaying communication through other Bloodhound units in proximity. In the event that no immediate communication path is available (such as when no other nearby Bloodhound units exist), the unit stores all of the data and forwards it to Bloodhound’s DPS and operations center at the first opportunity, preserving the accountability and record of events during the shipment process. No other competing units have this ability to save the data, share the data and send under any conditions.

Nobody wants to participate in human trafficking.  From our inception, Bloodhound’s priority has been and is to assist/improve on the War on Human Trafficking/exploitation.  To that end, BTD was specifically and uniquely designed to combat human trafficking and smuggling in commercial conveyances. The Bloodhound system detects and reports signs of trafficking and smuggling activity, providing the lessee with the proof to be able to provide US Customs and law enforcement with near-real time information/knowledge without a human in the loop. This capability, actionable intelligence will speed up response time and allow responders to target truly high-risk and suspicious shipments, while allowing known, clean shipments to proceed unmolested. Whether privy to the heinous act or not, nobody wants to be involved in this type of felony, and Bloodhound makes sure that you have provided every possible detection against this happening.

Everybody wants to save money.  Whether keeping your trailers, containers or chassis from being stolen, your customer’s merchandise from being stolen or your Bill of Lading getting delivered to a thief’s location and not your customer’s location….all are preventable with the Bloodhound Tracking Device.

B. Cost savings:  Knowing exactly where your freight is, in all circumstances, in all types of weather, and in all parts of the Globe, is a huge cost savings.  With near-real time, actionable, accurate information, a lessee can make sound judgements on whether to re-route freight, move it to another mode, or any other combination because with Bloodhound you have ACCURACY and timeliness.  The number 1 issue for Logistics Professionals 2 years in a row (from FrieghtWaves Surveys, 2022, 2023) was “accurate knowledge of where my freight is!”

All costs for leasing the units are on a sliding scale, depending on how many units a lessee wants to lease.  Obviously, leasing 40,000 units will come at a much lower cost/unit than leasing 200 units.  Therefore, these costs are subject to direct quotes from Bloodhound’s Sales Team, but the numbers below are a range for budgetary planning.

• • All leases are for 5 years, and may be extended for 5 more years at a discount.
  • All leases require a 2 month deposit for each unit leased.
  • All Leases require ZERO CAPEX….there is no upfront purchase required.
  • Container Units:  At scale (100,000) or more, container units (one pair of internal Instrumentation Unit and external Communication Unit) are leased for $26/month for 5 years. Lease cost adjusts with lower unit quantities and will be negotiated with each Lessee to find a solution that meets each customer’s individual needs for cost, performance, and capability.  Lower lease quantities come at a higher price, but even very low amounts of units are not double the “at scale rate”.  The monthly lease includes O&M, network management, and battery replacement (as needed).
  • Chassis Units:  Chassis units (consisting of a chassis-mounted Communications Unit without an associated internal Instrumentation Unit) are leased, at scale (30,000 units minimum) for $10/month.  There is a $5/unit maintenance fee which includes O&M, network management, and battery replacement (as needed).
  • Trailer/Van Units:  Trailer Van units are (at scale of 40,000 units +) $25/month all inclusive.  The Trailer Van configuration consists of an IU and CU pair, optimized for the mechanical and environmental conditions experienced by over-the-road trucking. Lesser quantities may also qualify for a separate lease on the units + the monitoring/maintenance fees of $25/month.
  • Bloodhound Lite:  Bloodhound offers a Lite Version of its Container and Trailer/Van units that provide only the track-and-trace capability in a single Communications Unit that don’t include the security features (the door camera, the sensor suite, etc.), and those units are leased similarly to Chassis Rates above.

HOW EASY TO GET INSTALLED

• • The installation process takes less than 5 minutes to physically install on the container, truck, or chassis.
  • Installation is accomplished by a single person and no tools, drilling, welding, or custom work is required. Bloodhound IUs and CUs are magnetically attached to chassis, containers, and truck vans.
  • A mobile application (iOS and Android) is provided along with the equipment and walks the installer step by step through the installation process including installation/mounting, activation, and registration of the unit with the Bloodhound DPS and Operations Center.

HOW HARD TO GET UN-INSTALLED

• • The removal process takes less than 5 minutes to physically uninstall on a container, truck, or chassis.
  • No tools or custom work is required beyond a screwdriver or small crowbar (to separate the high strength magnets from the chassis, container, or van). (Note that anti-tamper protections are part of the units to detect attempts to remove them by unauthorized individuals.)
  • The installation application, which is provided along with the equipment, walks the user step by step through the removal and deactivation process.

WHAT ABOUT MAINTENANCE?

• • Maintenance is handled by Bloodhound Tracking Device as part of the lease agreement.
  • The Bloodhound Operations Center monitors the condition of field deployed units, tracks performance and health (including battery life) and proactively alerts Bloodhound’s maintainers in advance of required service. There is no need for a customer to call in as we are monitoring each device and will notify a customer of any change that needs to occur.

WHAT ABOUT BATTERY CHANGE

• • We are able to monitor the battery levels in each device and will make sure to swap out the units at the next point of rest as part of the lease service.

• • Each customer will have access to the Bloodhound website where they can track their assets, review historical data, and monitor any changes through the user dashboard.
  • If the customer does not want to use the Bloodhound website, we have created APIs to push the data to whatever system they would like to use. Bloodhound’s software team will work with the customer to make sure they have the data in the format they are looking for.

HARDWARE

Our website at https://www.btdtracker.com

The Owners of the Bloodhound Tracking Device and its customers are shown on the website.  The owners are a combination of Logistics Professionals with over 100 years’ experience in Global Logistics, an ex-NASA Communications Systems Engineer and an Ex DoD operative.  A list of customers currently performing global and US on-sea and over-land trials can be obtained from the Bloodhound Sales Team.

• Customers will have the support of a 27/4 Operations Center, where they can call to have any of their answers or issues addressed. The Operations Center provides customer support, technical support, and is the customer’s always available gateway to engineering and operations / maintenance support as needed.
• Bloodhound Tracking Device will have periodic TEAMS meeting tag-ups with the customers to ensure that their units are working as intended and will have a debrief meeting to make sure any issues, concerns, or feedback are addressed.

• The Operations Center is a 24/7 support group consisting of customer success professionals, network operations, and engineering support located at Bloodhound Tracking Device HQ created to support everything from installation, monitoring, user-interface questions, and feedback from our customers and field trial partners.
• The Operations Center was implemented by professionals with over 50 years’ combined experience in customer and engineering support, with experience including NASA space flight and communications network operations.
• The Ops Center is manned 24/7 by our Tier 1: Customer Service Representatives who can address anything from billing and service questions through technical support. Tier 1 is backed up by our Tier 2 Customer Success Engineers who provide detailed hardware, software, and network engineering and are the interface to Bloodhound’s in-house design, test, and manufacturing engineering staff.

The Bloodhound Engineering Team is hard at work developing new sensors for the Bloodhound 2.0 units.  These units are due in 2025 and beyond.  The new units will be more streamlined, have more accurate sensors with added features.  In Fact, BTD is perfecting/working on a sensors that are  able to “sniff” the air inside a Container or Trailer for Fentanyl and other opioids.  Customs, DHS and other agencies are keen on having these units installed to detect as little as 10 parts per Trillion of these dangerous drugs and keep them out of the USA.