Privacy policy

Who we are and what this policy covers

NorthSat is provided by ALKA INNOVATIONS INC. (“we”, “us” or “our”). This policy covers the NorthSat mobile app, its hosted interface, NorthSat-operated assembly and shop pages, and the services that display device readings and reported locations. It does not describe every other app or product published by ALKA Innovations.

NorthSat does not require an account, email address or password to complete setup and use the app. An accountless app still processes information through network requests, device feeds, mapping services and enabled analytics.

For privacy questions or requests concerning access, correction or deletion, email info@alkainnovations.ca with the subject “NorthSat privacy request”.

Information on your phone

NorthSat saves your setup progress and choices in local app or browser storage. These include the workspace and use case you select, whether you have a SIM or NS-1, setup completion and the outcome of optional permission and direction-guide steps. Appearance choices remain in memory for the current session.

The setup record contains completion and status information, rather than a history of your direction-guide coordinates or nearby Bluetooth devices. You can revisit setup in Profile, then Workspace, then Edit setup. You can also clear local app or browser data using your device’s controls; backup and restoration behavior depends on the operating system.

Clearing local data or uninstalling the app does not delete hardware records, readings, analytics or correspondence held by us or our service providers.

Device information and the public feed

The NorthSat service receives and stores information reported by connected hardware. Depending on the device and its configuration, this can include device and machine identifiers, IMEI, a full reported SIM identifier, model and firmware information, display name, enrollment status, connection type, timestamps, messages, coordinates, altitude and accuracy.

We use these records to operate the device feed, display status, readings and reported positions, and investigate service issues.

The public feed includes device metadata and a SIM identifier suffix. For published devices, it can also expose an IMEI, messages, reported coordinates and other readings. Telemetry from unclaimed devices is withheld by the current service, although registration metadata can remain visible. The full SIM identifier stored by the backend is not included in the public feed.

Public telemetry can contain information that identifies people or reveals their locations. Before sending information through a device, consider who may be affected and whether you are authorized to disclose it. Copies of public information obtained by other people may remain outside our control.

Location, motion and maps

The satellite-direction guide uses your phone’s foreground location, compass heading and orientation to calculate guidance. This feature processes those sensor readings on your phone and does not upload them to the NorthSat backend or save a sensor history. Its sensor subscriptions stop when the guide ends or the app enters the background.

The Map screen separately lets you center the map on your phone’s location. Map imagery requests identify the area and zoom level you are viewing. Satellite imagery is supplied by Esri’s ArcGIS services, and street-map tiles are supplied through OpenStreetMap infrastructure.

When place-name lookup is enabled, Mapbox receives the map-center coordinates to return a location label. That center can be your phone’s position after using the location button, a reported device position or an area you select. This mapping request is separate from the local processing used by the satellite-direction guide.

You can decline or revoke location and motion permissions in your phone’s settings. Manual direction guidance and other screens remain available, although functions that need those sensors may be limited.

Bluetooth and notifications

When you start Bluetooth discovery, NorthSat processes nearby Bluetooth Low Energy device names and identifiers locally so you can select a peripheral and connect to it. The saved setup record contains the step’s outcome, not a history of discovered devices. The Bluetooth feature does not upload its scan results to the NorthSat backend.

Notification permission is optional. The current release does not register a remote push token or subscribe your phone to a backend telemetry-alert service. You can manage Bluetooth and notification permissions in your operating-system settings.

Usage analytics

NorthSat integrates PostHog to help us understand app use and improve the product. In releases with analytics enabled, the integration records page views and departures, screen names and interaction events, together with automatically generated identifiers and technical information about the browser, operating system, device and network request. Page addresses and referral information may also be included.

Analytics identifiers can distinguish sessions or app/browser installations and may be stored in cookies or local storage. These identifiers are not the same as a name or login, but they should not be treated as fully anonymous. An IP address can also reveal an approximate location to a service handling the request.

The NorthSat integration is configured to mask element text and attributes and disable session recording. Our custom screen events do not intentionally contain device messages, telemetry or sensor coordinates.

The current app does not provide an in-app analytics opt-out switch. Clearing local data can reset locally stored identifiers but does not erase information already received. Contact us about analytics information or a deletion request using the process below.

Network services and recipients

Opening the app interface, loading readings, displaying maps and sending enabled analytics involves requests to the relevant hosting, infrastructure, mapping and analytics providers. These services receive network information needed to handle requests, including IP addresses, request details and potentially browser or device information.

The NorthSat backend can record request paths, response status, timing and IP addresses when diagnosing errors or slow requests. Other request logging depends on the service configuration. We use operational information to deliver the service, investigate faults and maintain its security.

Information is handled by ALKA INNOVATIONS INC. and providers supporting these functions. Public device information is also available to anyone who accesses the feed. The current app does not display third-party advertisements or include an advertising SDK.

Mapping and analytics providers publish information about their own processing:

• Esri privacy information for satellite imagery.
• OpenStreetMap Foundation privacy policy for map infrastructure.
• Mapbox privacy information for place-name lookup.
• PostHog privacy information for analytics.

Services and providers may process information outside Canada or your country, including in the United States. Privacy laws and access by public authorities can differ between countries. Third-party websites and suppliers you open from NorthSat have their own privacy notices.

Retention and deletion

Different records are kept for different purposes:

• Local preferences: setup information remains until you change or clear it, subject to your device’s storage and backup behavior. Session-only appearance choices end with the session.
• Device records and readings: the current NorthSat application does not apply automatic expiry to device records or readings. Records remain stored until removed. A limit on the number of recent readings displayed does not delete older backend records. You can request removal of information relating to you or a device you are authorized to manage by email.
• Operational and analytics information: retention depends on the service or project settings and the information needed to operate, secure, troubleshoot and improve NorthSat. There is no single published retention period covering every provider. Contact us to ask about the retention or deletion of information associated with your use.
• Support and privacy correspondence: we retain the information needed to handle your enquiry and document its resolution. Records may also be retained where needed to meet a legal obligation or address a dispute.

Where backups exist, removal from active systems may not immediately remove backup copies. We cannot remove copies of public information held independently by other people. We will explain relevant limits when responding to a request.

Your choices and privacy requests

You can choose whether to use sensor-dependent features, change permissions in your phone’s settings, clear local app data or stop using the app. NorthSat has no user account to close.

To ask for access, correction or deletion of information relating to you or a device you are authorized to manage, email info@alkainnovations.ca with the subject “NorthSat privacy request”. Describe the information and your request. Include only what is needed to identify the relevant records; do not send passwords, device security keys or SIM PINs.

If you contact us, we receive your email address, message and any contact information or attachments you provide. We use this information to respond and handle your request.

ALKA reviews requests by email. We may ask for proportionate information to verify your identity or authority before disclosing or changing records. Because the app has no login, locating analytics or device records may require additional details. We will explain if a record cannot be identified or removed and any relevant legal or technical limitation.

Depending on applicable law, you may also have rights to withdraw consent, object to or restrict certain processing, receive a copy of information or complain to a privacy authority. Contact us to exercise a right or raise a concern. Removing local app data alone does not make a request to delete server records.

Security and children

The configured app and API connections use HTTPS. Hardware ingestion uses authentication, while the read-only device feed is public as described above. No online service can guarantee absolute security.

NorthSat is designed for device operators and people working with connected hardware. It does not ask for a user’s age. If you believe a child has supplied personal information through the service, contact us so we can review it.

Policy updates and contact

We will publish updates on this page and revise the date above. Where a change requires additional notice or consent under applicable law, we will provide that notice or seek consent.

Privacy enquiries: ALKA INNOVATIONS INC.
info@alkainnovations.ca

For help using the app, visit NorthSat Support.