IEEE Spectrum reports that on Jan. 12 the Indian space agency ISRO launched four “two-way satellite communications and data relay” devices from a Silicon Valley startup called Swarm Technologies, which seem to be pirate satellites. The four satellites -- SpaceBee-1, 2, 3, and 4 -- are technology demonstrators for a new space-based Internet of Things communications network. They are pirate satellites because the Federal Communications Commission dismissed Swarm’s application for its experimental satellites in December, because of safety reasons. IEEE Spectrum says, "If confirmed, this would be the first ever unauthorized launch of commercial satellites." On March 7, the FCC sent Swarm a letter revoking its authorization to launch four more satellites next month. Swarm wants to build a network that collects data from IoT devices using Bluetooth, LoRa, or Wi-Fi, and then beam that into space using VHF (very high frequency) radio, and then back down to users. Obviously, there are many applications for this network. The company's satellites are tiny, just 10 centimeters by 10 cm x 2.8 cm. But Marcus Holzinger, an aerospace professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and expert on orbital safety says, “If there’s a software glitch, the satellite is going to become a passive piece of debris." Swarm and the FCC would not comment, but it appears the company has sent its four tiny satellites into space without authorization.