A Cospas-Sarsat beacon, also called a distress radio beacon or emergency beacon, is a radio transmitter that can be activated in a life-threatening emergency to summon assistance from government authorities.
Registering your beacon may make the difference between life and death. By registering your beacon you allow search-and-rescue authorities in an emergency to retrieve crucial information about you, your aircraft or vessel, and people who can provide valuable information about you (your emergency contacts).
Beacons are manufactured, marketed and sold competitively by several different companies through a variety of vendor chains.