LoRa / LoRaWAN

LoRa (Long Range) is a low-power, long-range wireless communication technology designed for sparse, distributed sensor networks. LoRaWAN defines the network protocol layer used for device addressing, routing, and gateway communication.

• Long-distance soil moisture sensors
• Remote water tank level monitoring
• Environmental stations (wind, rainfall, temperature)
• Large farm perimeter or distributed zone monitoring
• Sparse deployments where mesh density is impractical

• Sensor → Field Controller (via local LoRa gateway)
• Optional Field → Farm Controller aggregation
• Not used for direct safety-critical actuation without local validation

• Very long communication range (several kilometers depending on terrain)
• Extremely low power consumption
• Suitable for battery-powered or solar-powered remote sensors
• Reduced infrastructure requirements compared to dense mesh networks
• Well-suited for large or geographically dispersed farms

• Low bandwidth (not suitable for high-frequency data transmission)
• Higher latency compared to short-range mesh protocols
• Typically requires a gateway device for network aggregation
• Not suitable for high-speed real-time control loops

• LoRa devices must communicate through a locally controlled gateway
• Field Controller must validate all received data before acting
• LoRa communication loss must not compromise irrigation safety
• Actuation commands must always be executed by the Field Controller, not directly by remote nodes
• All LoRa-originating data and events must be timestamped and logged
• LoRa connectivity is optional and must not be required for core operation