Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) at Sea: Performance Analysis of Offshore Data Transmission by Means of LoRaWAN Connectivity for Marine Monitoring Applications

Abstract

In this paper the authors discuss the realization of a Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) network infrastructure to be employed for monitoring activities within the marine environment. In particular, transmission ranges as well as the assessment of parameters like Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) are analyzed in the specific context of an aquaculture industrial plant, setting up a transmission channel from an offshore monitoring structure provided with a LoRaWAN transmitter, to an ashore receiving device composed of two LoRaWAN Gateways. A theoretical analysis about the feasibility of the transmission is provided. The performances of the system are then measured with different network parameters (in particular the Spreading Factor—SF) as well as with two different heights for the transmitting antenna. Test results prove that efficient data transmission can be achieved at a distance of 8.33 km even using worst case network settings: this suggests the effectiveness of the system even in harsher environmental conditions, thus entailing a lower quality of the transmission channel, or for larger transmission ranges.

Evaluation of LoRa Technology in Flooding Prevention Scenarios

“…There is also research related to LoRa transmission over water. The work by Parri et al discusses the realization of a LoRaWAN network infrastructure for marine environments like an aquaculture industrial plant [ 34 ]. signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and received signal strength indicator (RSSI) were evaluated considering different network parameters and two antenna heights.…”

“…Reflections caused by obstacles to the propagation will cause phase variations on the reflected signals. According to Parri et al [ 34 ], if direct and reflected signals take opposite phases (i.e., there is a change of phase to with in the reflected signal), signals will be cancelled out at the receiver side, originating losses. If signals are perfectly in phase (there is a change of phase equal to with ), the signal will be enhanced at the receiver side.…”

Experimental Evaluation of the Availability of LoRaWAN Frequency Channels in the Czech Republic

“…To a small extent, the results of operating parameters in the actual deployment of technology outside the laboratory environment are published, such as the work of an Italian team led by Lorenzo Parri, who tested the possibilities of using connectivity at sea [ 14 ]. However, interference cannot be expected there, as is the case, for example, in the city center, and this is the topic of this article.…”

The Deployment of a LoRaWAN-Based IoT Air Quality Sensor Network for Public Good

“…While these sensors should still be properly calibrated with reference instruments before having their accuracy assumed, their performance is a marked improvement over past generations, especially considering their price, size, and power consumption as attested by laboratory tests by independent researchers and the EPA [14], [15]. Along with these new sensors have come new proven transmission technologies such as LoRaWAN, enabling scientists and citizens to not just collect data but also reliably transport it to high performance computing infrastructures for processing [16].…”