Harnessing IoT for Agriculture: Evaluating the Performance of a LoRaWAN-Based Monitoring System

LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) has emerged as a prominent communication protocol for long-range, low-power, and wide-area network applications. It leverages LoRa modulation technology derived from the Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) to enable efficient and reliable connectivity for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. With its ability to achieve an extended range and operate with ultralow power consumption, LoRaWAN has gained significant attention for various applications including environmental monitoring. This study focused on the design and implementation of a LoRaWAN network for environmental sensing and monitoring. The network architecture incorporates the integration of sensors, utilization of LoRa gateways, and deployment of LoRaWAN infrastructure. The primary objectives of this study were to evaluate the LoRa signal strength and coverage, collect environmental data using LoRaWAN-connected sensors, and analyze the gathered data to derive meaningful insights for environmental monitoring applications. The experiments offer valuable comparisons with previous studies, emphasizing the diverse performance levels of LoRa within a range of 750-1,000 meters. By investigating the performance and coverage of LoRaWAN, this study aims to contribute to the understanding of LoRa technology for environmental monitoring applications. The findings of this study have implications for the design and optimization of LoRaWAN networks, demonstrating the potential of LoRaWAN in enabling efficient and scalable environmental sensing technologies.