The Fi Ultra is the first Starlink-enabled pet tracker you can buy. Expanding on GPS and LTE trackers, it added automatic failover to T-Satellite service with a direct T-Mobile cell signal when entering cellular dead zones. That allows owners to tap into SpaceX’s constellation of Earth orbit Starlink satellites to track their pets anywhere in the US. But it comes with a few trade-offs based on our early testing, including poor battery life compared to a pet tracker.
Designed to fit “adventure dogs of any size,” according to the company, the Fi Ultra is designed to match the dog’s leash or harness you already use. It costs $199 for the device (plus a $20 activation fee) and requires an annual subscription of $189. Along with LTE cellular connectivity, it features always-on GPS, dual-band GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi for added accuracy.
$199
Fi Ultra is the first dog tracker to combine T-Satellite with Starlink, GPS, and LTE connectivity to help you find your lost dog anywhere. There’s an annual fee of $189, and it only lasts two days on a single charge, but if you’re traveling for fun with your baby, it might be worth it.
There is a 513 mAh battery that is scheduled to last two days in this 75mm × 40mm × 25mm wide tracker, which weighs 68g. Its IP68 and IP66K ratings protect against dust and water ingress, including salt water. It also packs in a small vibration motor and a speaker that supports Callback Fi’s new shock training system.
To test the Fi Ultra, I drove about an hour to nearby Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina, where LTE goes down, and alligators climb out of rivers. It was easy to attach the tracker to my dog Gus’s collar, thanks to the spring-loaded clasp. But “dogs of any size” feels like a stretch. It looked huge for Gus, an 80-wire pointing griffon, and easily wider than a Chihuahua’s neck, though toy breeds aren’t known for new adventures.
Fi Ultra connects to the Fi app, which shows a live view of Gus’s location. I simulated a lost dog emergency by hitting Lost Mode, which goes up all the radios to try to track it down in real time (instead of checking periodically).
Besides standard LTE, the tracker quickly connected to the Starlink-based T-Satellite network (shown by the satellite icon in the app), and the map was updated every 2 to 3 minutes, showing where it was relative to me. Although it’s a bit slow if you’re looking for a lost puppy, this is about the same review time as when I tested it on 1 LTE bar in my area.
Three minutes is a long time, and with the next update, Gus could be anywhere (if he had been a lamb). But it’s better than nothing, which is one of LTE’s dead spots.
1/5
During my 30 minute live tracking session connected to the Starlink satellites, there were a few times where it got stuck “reconnecting” and didn’t update the location for about 5 minutes.
According to Fi, the tracker prioritizes terrestrial cell towers. But if you use T-Satellite, it has to change satellites often while still trying to get a terrestrial signal – because even one bar of LTE usually wins the satellite so that the connection is stable. Fi says this sometimes leads to reconnection lags as the tracker moves in and out of the installation.
All of those radios are tight on the tracker’s battery, and I didn’t get the promised two days of charging during my week of testing. I had to charge it every day when I went a long distance, or every day when we didn’t move much. During a 30-minute live tracking session alone, it dropped nearly 20 percent.
While it charges in less than 2 hours via USB-C, the short battery life makes this a more affordable track for occasional rather than daily use. Other Fi trackers, the Fi Mini collar and Fi 3 Plus, can last several weeks on a single charge and offer additional features, including health, sleep, and behavior tracking. They are also included in the paid membership.
The company said the battery life is due to “additional energy costs to support satellite communications over cellular, and more accurate location updates.” The device relies heavily on GPS to stay on, unlike Fi trackers that don’t use Satellite.
However, Fi Ultra can be added to an existing subscription for a down payment of $299, which is a better long-term deal than buying on its own. You can attach it to an existing Fi collar, and the two devices will work together on the app, giving you the confidence to stay safe when traveling in areas without cell service, while still getting the benefits of a regular Fi dog tracker.
I used to live in rural Idaho, where my dog Stanley used to disappear into the valleys chasing deer, so I understand the appeal of a tracker that works over cell phone availability. If you’re a frequent hiker or camper in remote areas, Fi Ultra can be valuable as an expensive form of insurance. Satellite fallback works and provides real peace of mind. Just be prepared to charge it more often than a regular GPS tracker.
Photos by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
