- May 5, 2021, 8:30 AM
Garmin's inReach Mini provides GPS information to the Garmin Pilot app, which can also be used to send and receive messages via the inReach device. (Photo: Matt Thurber/AIN)
Last year, the number of rescues attributed to Garmin’s inReach satellite communication devices reached the 5,000 mark. Garmin purchased DeLorme, manufacturer of the inReach devices, in 2016, and now offers five products, including the smallest—the Mini—and four others with additional capabilities and screens large enough to display maps.
I’ve been testing the inReach Mini since last year, while hiking, kayaking, and flying. Though it’s a comfort to know that the device’s SOS button is always available to call for help, I like its ability to send and receive messages from anywhere in the world via the Iridium satcom network and location sharing of tracking information. For aircraft that are too small to install more capable and costly airborne connectivity systems, an Iridium messaging device like the inReach mini offers a good compromise.