Fi’s new collar taps Starlink’s direct-to-cell to track dogs off the grid
Smart-collar maker Fi is putting Starlink in a dog collar. Its new Fi Ultra taps SpaceX’s direct-to-cell satellites, so a bolting dog stays trackable even where phone towers cannot reach.
July 8, 2026 – 6:02 pm
Image by: Fi
Smart-collar startup Fi is launching the Fi Ultra, the first pet tracker to run on Starlink’s direct-to-cell network, Fortune reported exclusively. Today’s GPS trackers, like those from rivals Tractive and Garmin, rely on ground-based mobile towers, rendering them useless beyond their range.
Fi’s Starlink tie-up aims to bridge that gap. SpaceX has launched over 650 satellites, each acting as a cell tower in the sky, communicating directly with LTE devices on Earth. No dish or extra hardware needed—just a clear view of the sky.
"The main limitation of all the tracking products out there is that they are using the LTE network," founder Jonathan Bensamoun told Fortune. "Starlink obviously offers satellite technology, kind of omniscient access, at least in the US for now."
The Ultra costs $199 plus Fi’s $99 half-yearly membership (existing subscribers pay only for the hardware). Its battery lasts up to three months. Machine learning optimizes power usage, keeping the device dormant when a dog is home or asleep and activating it immediately upon disappearance.
The launch comes at a strategic time. Austrian rival Tractive shut down its Whistle pet wearable product after acquiring it last year, leaving users without service overnight. Fi has raised $45m and expanded to 38 countries over the past year, expecting to pass $100m in annual recurring revenue this year.
The market is huge: pet wearables are projected to reach $3.8bn in 2026, growing to $11.4bn by 2033. As people delay having children and prioritize investments in their dogs, the demand for pet wearables soars alongside the broader push to connect everything from orbit, including Rocket Lab and SpaceX.
Direct-to-cell satellites, originally intended to fill phone dead zones, are now demonstrating their potential to revolutionize a wide range of applications. "The compromise between freedom and safety is something I’m trying to erase with technology," Bensamoun said. For now, coverage remains US-focused, but the future looks clear: if it has a SIM, it might soon reach a satellite.