OpenFlare: An Open, Connected Roadside Warning Light with Cellular & NTN Connectivity
Antennity and Embever have received an assignment from the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop OpenFlare: a connected roadside warning light that combines NB-IoT/LTE-M with 5G NTN (NB-NTN).
OpenFlare is more than a warning light. It is an open reference platform for battery-powered IoT devices that require precise positioning and energy-efficient communication. Robust antennas are essential to ensure accurate operation under challenging conditions.
Why OpenFlare?
In Spain, connected warning lights have replaced the classic warning triangle since 1 January 2026. According to the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), approximately 30.5 million vehicles must use the warning light known as V16. Scaled up to the whole of Europe, this represents 250 to 270 million units.
After a breakdown, the driver places the light on the roof. It flashes brightly and transmits its position to the cellular network. The concept is convincing: a small, self-contained device makes a stationary vehicle visible and informs other road users through a connected platform.
However, cellular networks do not provide sufficient coverage everywhere. In remote valleys, forests, or on mountain roads, a 5G NTN satellite connection can make the difference between a transmitted warning and radio silence.
OpenFlare solves this problem with a modular architecture:
- NB-IoT/LTE-M as the energy-efficient terrestrial primary connection
- 5G NTN (NB-NTN) as a satellite backup for coverage gaps
- GNSS for precise position data
- A highly visible 360-degree warning light
- Open hardware, firmware, and measurement concepts
An Open Reference Platform
OpenFlare is not a closed black box. We will make all development steps public wherever possible:
- System architecture
- Block diagrams and circuit diagrams
- PCB design considerations
- Antenna concepts and integration guidelines
- Firmware architecture
- Power-consumption analyses
- RF and antenna measurements
- Regulatory and coexistence aspects
Our goal is to give engineers, universities, start-ups, and product teams a foundation for developing their own IoT devices.
More Than a V16 Warning Light
OpenFlare is based on the concept of the connected roadside warning light, but it is designed as a universal IoT platform.
The architecture can be adapted for:
- Asset and vehicle tracking
- Smart agriculture sensors
- Infrastructure monitoring
- Remote condition monitoring
- Mobile safety devices
- Satellite-based IoT products
By replacing the LED driver with sensors, a different power supply, or a modified radio architecture, OpenFlare becomes the basis for a wide range of applications.
What We Will Publish
From 6 November 2026, we will share technical blog posts documenting the development process:
- The OpenFlare platform concept
- 5G NTN and NB-NTN as a satellite backup
- Antenna concepts for NB-IoT/LTE-M, GNSS, and 5G NTN
- Software and firmware architecture
- Circuit diagrams and hardware design
- Antenna measurements in the enclosure
- Radio approval and regulatory requirements
- Interference and coexistence between multiple antennas
- Battery-life modelling
- From OpenFlare to your own IoT product
We will explain not only what we are developing, but also why we make particular decisions.
Open Innovation for Connected Safety
Open source does not mean that development is easy. Combining NB-IoT/LTE-M, 5G NTN, GNSS, LEDs, batteries, and antennas in a compact enclosure presents real challenges:
- Limited space for antennas
- Interactions between radio systems
- Balancing battery life and communication reliability
- Thermal behaviour
- Mechanical robustness
- Regulatory requirements
- Antenna performance in the finished enclosure
We welcome these challenges.
Developing Better IoT Devices Together
OpenFlare is the starting point for a discussion on open, reliable, and energy-efficient IoT hardware. We look forward to sharing our progress, measurement results, and insights.
Do you need support with developing an IoT device with an integrated antenna, a GNSS tracker, an NB-IoT/LTE-M product, or a 5G NTN-capable device?
Contact Antennity to discuss your project.