onX Launches In-App Emergency Assistance for Safer Backcountry Adventures

onX, the leading outdoor navigation platform for hunters, off-roaders and hikers, skiers, and more, today announced the launch of onX SOS, a new in-app emergency assistance service powered by Overwatch x Rescue (OxR). onX SOS expands onX’s industry-leading navigation and mapping capabilities to include safety services within the navigation app millions of adventurers already use.

For adventurers looking for an alternative to dedicated satellite hardware, satellite connectivity plans, or separate rescue memberships, onX SOS combines emergency assistance and financial protection in one seamless subscription for $49.99/year, delivering the most comprehensive rescue coverage for the best value in the market. onX SOS connects users directly to a 24/7 professional emergency response team that coordinates the rescue and covers the rescue and evacuation costs directly, with no separate hardware to buy, no claims process to file, and no out-of-pocket expenses.

onX’s in-app SOS button is backed by the response from OxR, a service of FocusPoint International. With more than 15 years of emergency response experience, OxR has coordinated at least 15,000 rescues across more than 220 countries and territories, saving adventurers more than $10 million in rescue and medical costs.

“We designed onX SOS around a simple insight: nearly all of our customers consider safety to be a critical part of their outdoor experience,” said Preethi Ramani, onX Chief Product Officer. “So we built access to emergency assistance right into the app. Whether you’re finding a new perch to glass from, peak to summit, or trail to ride, onX SOS goes wherever you do. And if something goes wrong, even miles away from another human or cell service, a professional emergency coordination team is just a few taps away.”

The need for that protection is especially important as outdoor enthusiasts explore remote landscapes, trading bars of cell signal for deeper immersion into nature. A recent onX analysis found:

• More than 646 million acres across the U.S., roughly 28% of the U.S. land mass, have no cellular coverage.

• 77-91% of onX customers report recreating on these signal-free landscapes.

• More than half (51%) of onX Offroad users have reported needing assistance in the field.

onX SOS was designed for these situations, connecting users to professional emergency coordination through cellular or satellite connectivity when it matters most. The financial stakes can be just as high as the physical ones. According to the Government Accountability Office, the average U.S. air ambulance transport costs approximately $36,400, an expense most private health plans do not cover. onX SOS covers these costs directly, with no claims to file and no out-of-pocket expenses.

When activated, onX SOS generates a pre-populated SMS with the user’s GPS coordinates and account information, which is delivered to OxR’s 24/7 Crisis Response Centers via cellular or satellite connectivity. From there, a trained coordinator—OxR’s centers are staffed by former military, law enforcement and first responders—initiates two-way communication with users, coordinates the rescue and stays engaged with the person in distress until they reach safety.

“At Overwatch x Rescue, we believe going further outdoors should never mean facing the risks alone,” said Greg Pearson, CEO of FocusPoint International. “By powering onX SOS, our team brings decades of rescue coordination experience to the adventurers who rely on onX every day, so they can explore with confidence, knowing that an expert team is ready to respond if the need arises.”

onX SOS is currently available for onX Offroad and onX Hunt users on iOS and Android at all membership tiers, and will be available in onX Backcountry later this summer. The subscription is tied to a user’s onX account, allowing access to the SOS button across all three apps with a single subscription. The feature is available on mobile devices with cellular and satellite SMS messaging capabilities.

To learn more or subscribe, visit onxmaps.com/sos.