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            The world's only solar powered marine satellite tags.

            SeaTag™ is our portfolio of pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) and ultra-lightweight turtle tags.

            We offer a simple, modular portfolio of products, enabling research at realistic scales.

            Substantially less expensive than competitors, while simultaneously offering unique features like onboard solar power. 


            Transparently priced with generous quantity discounts, DSS tags are built with large deployments in mind. 
            Background Development

            SeaTag - A new kind of science

            Desert Star’s SeaTag family of electronic animal tags is the result of an NOAA sponsored SBIR program and acknowledges the two fundamental demands of the agency: boosting innovation in tag design and significantly reducing tag cost.

            Prior to SeaTag, pop-up satellite tags cost $4000 each severely limiting their use. SeaTag revolutionized the tagging field by offering stored solar power systems augmented by batteries, functionality for freshwater use, magnetic sensing for reliable position estimation, fouling resistant housings and much lower pricing for much larger sample size.

            These advances in the field have created two distinct product lines: S.A.M. tags (Stock Assessment and Mortality Tags) and an advanced studies pop-up satellite tag (SeaTag-MOD).

            SeaTag’s strong technological and cost advantages are the result of Desert Star’s broad experience in many underwater technologies and economies of scale provided by our multiple product lines. A modular design approach and a large design library underpin all of our products and allow our creative workforce to learn quickly and design new tag versions efficiently using a ‘cut & paste’ approach. Reliability is thus enhanced as new tags ‘inherit’ the field record of established design blocks.

            In addition, all SeaTag devices come with an extended warranty (ST-GOLD) option that covers non-reporting, under-reporting or otherwise non-functional tags during and after their deployment periods. If a tag falls under one of several categories, Desert Star Systems ships a replacement tag at no additional cost.

            SeaTag presents a change in the concept of satellite tagging transitioning from studies using 10 or 20 tags to a systematic method of data collection, retrieval, and deployment utilizing a complementing line of pop-up satellite tags. No longer should you deploy a few tags of just one type! Instead, use a targeted collection of SeaTag devices to maximize your data return while minimizing study costs.

            Field Validity

            Please see our newest brochures for all products and reference to cited scientific published papers. Many published papers are also available in our knowledge base section of this website. If you are seeking prior published research papers for specific species or SeaTag model please email salesinfo@desertstar.com for more info.


            Desert Star's flagship.

            A modularreusable PSAT.



            Depth, temperature, ARGOS, 3-axis acceleration and magnetometer, geomagnetic navigation, automatic sampling rate increase when detecting dynamic events; 360 degree light sensor, solar power, optional battery attachments for extended use in darkness; a century of storage on a one-minute sampling interval. 


            Kitchen sink optional. 



            More capable than competing flagship tags, at a significantly lower price point.


            The MOD starts at $2500 per tag body. Prices decrease with order quantity. 

            Remote Broadband Acoustic Detection

            Hitherto considered impossible in PSATs, Desert Star's new MOD payloads enable 24/7 detection, onboard recording, and ARGOS alerts for sounds of interest. 

            Stock Assessment  Mortality (SAM)

            Compact, economical PSATs with limitless solar power. 


            Built for massive scale deployments, yet capable enough to deliver results in small numbers.

            SAM Tag Portfolio

            SeaTag-3D


            Flagship capabilities in a compact package. 

            • Storage for ~425,984 packets
            • High sampling rates
            • Battery for extended use in darkness
            • ST-GOLD Extended Warranty Offered 

            SeaTag-GEO


            Geomagnetic navigation, a DSS signature. 

            • Geomagnetic migration tracks
            • Identical small form factor to the LOT
            • 3-axis magnetometer, light, temperature
            • ST-GOLD Extended Warranty Offered 

            SeaTag-LOT

            The world's most inexpensive ARGOS PSAT. 

            • Migration, shedding and mortality
            • Extremely economical in large numbers
            • ~42g in air
            • ST-GOLD Extended Warranty Offered 

            Your Mission;

            Our Guarantee

            We recognize that the cost of satellite tags can be intimidating, especially for small studies. 


            DSS offers an optional enhanced warranty through our SeaTag-Gold program. Provided you can keep your tag physically affixed to your study organism, DSS guarantees the tag will perform within the parameters of your mission.

            If a tag fails to meet the demands of your mission, DSS will replace it, free of charge.

            Some (reasonable) exclusions apply. See the SeaTag-Gold page for details. 

            Spawning Detection

            Born out of 2019 NOAA SBIR research, the SeaTag-3DS works in tandem with an implanted JSATS pinger to detect fish spawning location.

            Sea Turtles, Penguins, and Other Divers

            Our TT tag is an ultra-economical, dedicated design for small diving creatures. At 17 or 25 grams (two models) they are some of the smallest, lightest tags on earth. 
            They are extremely easy to use, and designed specifically for bulk deployments. 
             Like other DSS tags, they have onboard solar power, granting endurance disproportionate to their stature.

            Limitless Potential

            Desert Star's tags can be customized for even the most demanding missions.This "SeaTag-6K", built for for extreme depth, was used to tag an elusive Megamouth Shark,  Megachasma pelagios. 

            Unsure what you need? Require something extraordinary?
            contact us

            Solar Panels

            Wrap-around solar panels for uniform 360-degree light detection, months and even years of reporting times after pop-off for maximum data recovery and maximum opportunity for physical recovery.

            Minimal Drag

            Less drag means better tag retention and compatibility with smaller and faster species

            Evidence-Based Tracks

             SeaTag yields entirely transparent and defensible direct-measured positions based on the simple intersection of magnetic field intensity for latitude and robust light measurements for longitude. 

            Fresh & Salt Water Use

            Our kinetic release payload section allows use in any water system. SeaTag's are also designed with a non-species specific approach in order to maximize cost-optimization and therefore provide the highest sample size possible. 


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