If there’s a young driver in your family, upgrading your vehicle with a telematics system like Drone is a great way to know where they are and how they’re driving. Drone combines high-speed cellular LTE connectivity with an onboard GPS receiver to relay the exact location of the vehicle to your smartphone or the Drone website. You can even configure geofence notifications, so you know when the vehicle arrives at or leaves a specific location. Let’s look at how these features work to help keep parents calm when their kids are driving the family car or truck.

GPS-Based Vehicle Locating

The X1-MAX, X1R and DR-5400 Drone modules include an integrated GPS receiver antenna. Location information is visible within the DroneMobile app on your iOS or Android smartphone or on the Drone website. The GPS locating capability is impressively precise. This accuracy lets you know which side of a driveway you’re parked on or exactly where the car is in a mall parking lot.

If your son or daughter is out with the car, you can check their location and speed while they’re on the move. If you expect them home at 10:30, you can see whether they’ve left their friend’s house or movie theatre, or if they’re just around the corner.

Geofences Deliver Instant Alerts

A lot of families allow their kids to use the family vehicle to go to work at a part-time job. By logging into the Drone website, you can create alerts based on an address or a geographic area on a map. The website allows you to set these warnings (called geofences) based on a radius around the chosen location or using a rectangle or adjustable polygon. Another option is to use the POI (Point of Interest) feature to set an alert. You can enter the address of a business or someone’s house, and the Drone system will let you know when the vehicle arrives at or leaves that location.

As you can see from the above screenshot, this family has configured the system to let them know when their son arrives at the drugstore where he works. This information will also be recorded in the Activity Log so that it can be reviewed later.

Speed Warnings Promote Safety

You can always click on the Location tab, then click on the vehicle icon to see how fast it is traveling. Likewise, you can configure the system to send an alert to your smartphone if the vehicle exceeds a preset speed limit.

The Curfew Alert feature is another way to monitor the use of your vehicle. Once you’ve configured a start and stop time, the system will send a notification if the vehicle moves during that time period. There’s no way to sneak out at night with the car when this is activated.

Drone Reduces Parent Stress

Most of us trust our children to take care of our vehicles. That doesn’t mean that we don’t worry when they’re driving. With Drone on board, we can check their location and speed as often as we want. Visit your local authorized Drone retailer to have the hardware installed in your vehicle, then choose from the Premium, Premium Plus or Ultimate service plan packages. You can learn more about the fantastic features of Drone by visiting their website, Facebook page, Instagram page and Twitter, or their YouTube channel.

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Drone from Firstech has made communicating with your vehicle more accessible than ever, thanks to integration with digital assistants like Google Assistant and Apple Siri. Remember when Michael Knight used to talk to KITT using a communicator on his watch? KITT could start the engine and be ready to go in a split-second once Michael arrived on the scene! If you’re feeling like recreating some classic ’80s television or simply want to unlock the doors of your vehicle without having to touch anything, Drone and the DroneMobile App have made this a reality.

DroneMobile and Apple Siri Control

Version 4.3 of the DroneMobile app for iOS adds Siri digital assistant integration using Shortcuts. Shortcuts is a scripting app that acts as a go-between for DroneMobile and Siri so that your voice commands can control your vehicle. Once configured, you can say, “Hey Siri, lock my car.” Siri will confirm the vehicle you want to lock using the name you entered on the Drone web interface. You can say “Yes,” and the vehicle will lock a second or two later. You can tell Siri to start your vehicle just as quickly. Just say, “Start my car.”

Adding the shortcut from DroneMobile to your smartphone is easy. All you have to do is tap on the Add to Siri icon at the top of the Controls Screen. The Shortcut app will pop up and let you customize the command text. You can configure it to recognize any text command you want. If you want the standard “Start my car,” then click Add to Siri. Alternatively, you can enter a custom command string like “Fire up my ride” or “Kitt, it’s time for action.” Other Drone commands that are compatible with Siri and the Shortcuts app are Stop, Lock, Unlock, Trunk, Aux 1 or Aux 2.

DroneMobile and Google Assistant

If you are an Android phone user or have a Google Nest smart speaker in your home or office, then you can integrate the Google Assistant app with DroneMobile to control your vehicle. You’ll need Version 4.4 of the DroneMobile app to make this happen. The Google Assistant and latest DroneMobile apps are, of course, available from the Google Play store.

Drone has added an extra level of safety and security to its Android solution by including a PIN code. You can configure the PIN by logging into the Drone web interface, clicking on Edit Profile, then scrolling down to Unlock PIN.

Voice commands work a little differently on Android. If you want to remote start your vehicle, say, “Hey Google, use DroneMobile to start Kelly’s Truck.” In the background, Google Assistant launches the interface to DroneMobile, then transmits your request to start the vehicle. You’ll be asked to confirm the PIN for starting or unlocking commands. The system works best when you say the pin as a number, rather than a series of digits. So, one-thousand two-hundred and thirty-four trumps one two three four.

Talking To Your Vehicle Is Easy

Giving your engine a few minutes to warm up while you gather your belongings in the morning can dramatically reduce wear on the engine and make the vehicle more comfortable if it’s hot or cold out. Being able to use voice commands with the latest versions of the DroneMobile app means you can multitask. When breakfast is finished, and you’re loading the dishwasher, just say, “Hey Siri, start my car.” All of the functions that work with your phone or smart speaker will also work with an Apple Watch or Android SmartWatch.

If you’d like to be able to use voice commands to control your vehicle, drop by your local authorized Firstech dealer and ask about the Drone telematics interface and a Compustar, Arctic Start, FTX or iDatastart vehicle security or remote starter system. You can find a dealer near you using the dealer finder. Be sure to visit the blog section on the Drone website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube to learn about any new features, products and technologies from Firstech and Drone.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Drone is a state-of-the-art vehicle control, monitoring and tracking solution from Firstech. Using lightning-fast LTE connectivity, the system will let you unlock the doors, pop the trunk, remote start and ensure that nobody is tampering with your vehicle — from almost anywhere on the planet. The Drone system requires a service package to let your smartphone connect to your vehicle. You have four packages to chose from, and each includes more features and information. Let’s take a close look at the functionality in each solution.

Drone Basic Subscription

Designed to provide remote control and security system (if equipped) feedback, the Basic package is an inexpensive way to make sure you are always connected to your vehicle. All packages include remote start, keyless entry, auxiliary output control and security system alerts. You can check the battery voltage and the temperature inside the vehicle at any time, from anywhere your smartphone has access to the internet.

Drone Premium Subscription

Stepping up to the Premium package adds GPS location-based tracking features. You gain access to the GPS Car Finder feature so you can pinpoint the position of your vehicle in a matter of seconds. The Drone system can be configured to provide speed-based notifications to the user, so you will know if the kids or your employees are driving safely. Using the same technology, Curfew Monitoring will let you know if your vehicle moves after business hours or bedtime.

Point of interest (POI) and geofence alerts are also included in the Premium subscription. You can define geographic areas that will trigger a notification on your smartphone when the Drone-equipped vehicle enters or leaves those zones. Setup for the location-based alerts is done through the web interface at accounts.dronemobile.com. The Premium package includes 10 point-of-interest locations and four geofences.

The Premium package also offers maintenance reminders, so you’ll never forget when it’s time for an oil change. Likewise, diagnostic trouble code alerts will let you know if your vehicle has an issue that might require service.

Premium Plus and Ultimate Packages

If you are a business owner, knowing where your assets are and how they are being used is crucial to managing your expenses. The Premium Plus and Ultimate packages are designed specifically for you. Both packages include a breadcrumb function. The Premium Plus package records a breadcrumb every two minutes, and the Ultimate records every 30 seconds. For clarification, breadcrumbs are location updates based on time. Every 30 seconds, or two minutes, the Drone system will note the location of the vehicle. Just like Hansel and Gretel, the system leaves a trail of location markings as the vehicle moves so you can review the route it has taken. Both packages also log turn-by-turn updates, and there are no limits to the number of geofence and point-of-interest notification locations you can add. Finally, the Ultimate plan includes location-based alerts, so you can be notified when your staff arrives at a client location.

History Log Information

All packages provide access to six months of activity in the History Log. You can sort information by vehicle or by the type of event for specific analysis. The information can be quickly and easily exported into a CSV file that will work with an external spreadsheet or database. The Trip Report option shows start and stop locations and times, based on the vehicle ignition being turned on and off. If any alerts are configured, they are added to the report.

Communicate and Manage Your Vehicle with Drone

Whether you want the fastest unlimited-range remote control solution for a personal vehicle, or need detailed asset tracking for a fleet of company trucks or vans, Drone has a service package that delivers a perfect, easy-to-use solution. Visit your local authorized Drone retailer today for more information. You can find a shop using the Find a Dealer page on their website. For more information, follow Drone on its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter social media pages, and check out the latest feature and tutorial videos on their YouTube channel.

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Whether you are a small auto parts store with two delivery vehicles or run a local courier or moving company with dozens of trucks, Drone is the perfect fleet management tool. Drone uses high-performance telematics technology to monitor the location and behavior of the vehicle it’s installed in. DroneMobile – the powerful web and smartphone interface – makes managing the information collected by Drone efficient, so you can optimize the operation of your company vehicles and increase safety.

Drone Fleet Management Packages

Depending on the specific needs of your company, Drone offers three tracking solutions for business owners. The Premium package logs individual vehicle trips, monitors for speed violations and includes four geofence and 10 point-of-interest alert options. You can look up a vehicle location in seconds using the DroneMobile app on your smartphone or the web interface.

Stepping up to the Premium Plus plan adds turn-by-turn and breadcrumb trail logging that updates every two minutes. Geofences and point-of-interest locations are unlimited on the Premium Plus and higher packages.

Finally, the Ultimate package increases breadcrumb trail logging to every 30 seconds and adds location-based alerts. All three options include Drone’s standard vehicle control features like locking and unlocking, as well as battery voltage and vehicle temperature monitoring.

The packages include maintenance reminders, and vehicle diagnostic trouble code information is also logged to help ensure that the fleet is operating reliably and efficiently.

How Fleet Tracking Saves Companies Money

As a business owner, understanding how your equipment is being used is paramount to your profitability. Ensuring that delivery routes are being followed can save money in reduced fuel expenses. Information about arrival time to each destination can be used to optimize itineraries to avoid traffic congestion or construction. Curfew alerts ensure that your vehicle fleet is being used for business purposes only.

Using the Trips feature (available on the DroneMobile app or at accounts.dronemobile.com on any web browser), managers can review up to six months of data for each vehicle and look for driving behavior issues like speeding, unnecessary stops and unscheduled detours.

The Activity Log function at accounts.dronemobile.com includes options to sort information by vehicle, date range and activity, enabling you to analyze operational status with impressive detail. Data from the Activity Log can be exported into a spreadsheet-compatible .CSV format with a single button-click to help create presentations and reports.

Additional Fleet Tracking Benefits

It’s been proven repeatedly that company drivers who know a tracking system has been installed on the company vehicle drive more safely and efficiently. Safer driving reduces fuel and vehicle maintenance expenses, and can also reduce insurance costs from reduced claims. Speaking of insurance, it would be worth asking your insurance company if they offer a discount for vehicles that have tracking systems.

Drone hardware can be upgraded with security features to add another level of protection to your fleet. The Firstech DAS-II sensor monitors the vehicle for impacts, glass breakage, towing and motion. Likewise, sensors can be added to tool storage compartments or cargo loading doors. These alerts are not only logged in the activity report, but notifications are sent directly to the driver’s smartphone so he or she can contact law enforcement if the vehicle is being tampered with.

Accurate Data Makes Asset Management Easier

As a company owner with a fleet of vehicles, managing their expense can be a daunting task. From fuel and regular maintenance to insurance claims and damage repairs – your overhead can be thousands of dollars a year. Knowing where and how your vehicles are used is the first step to implementing policies that ensure their efficiency and safety. Drone can provide that information.

Contact your local Firstech retailer today to find out how you can equip your fleet with Drone Fleet Management solutions. You can find a dealer here. To stay up-to-date with the latest from Drone, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.