More observations of snow depth on sea ice are urgently needed for various applications in polar and climate research. Large-scale and seasonal snow depth products are required for many in-situ, remote sensing, and numerical modelling applications. We developed a new buoy type to obtain time series of snow depth (and air temperature) on Arctic and Antarctic sea ice. The buoy is based on four sonic ranging sensors, and transmits the data via Iridium satellites. The buoy concept and design are based on low unit costs and easy deployment. Snow buoys proved to be most valuable when co-deployed with other buoy types. Near real time data sharing into international networks for a large user community: GTS, buoy programs