Everything You Need to Know about LoRa and LoRa Modules over Smart Agriculture
“LoRa in smart agriculture” has been a hot topic for a long time. One of the most obvious reasons is that the characteristic of agriculture (huge land management) corresponds to the “long-range wireless transmission” feature of LoRa technology. Previously, TECHDesign Blog has published several related articles discussing LoRa, LoRaWAN, and how farmers implement LoRa in the smart agriculture field. In this article, we will be emphasizing the relationship between LoRa and smart agriculture, what kinds of LoRa modules match smart agriculture, and the future of them.
What is LoRa in Smart Agriculture?
It is to apply LoRa technology to the field of smart agriculture. One main example is to use LoRa as the connectivity to transmit data between detecting sensors and host devices, in the meantime, LoRa can also let processors remotely control IoT devices. Normally, an IoT system is known to realize smart agriculture, and LoRa is a part of it. There are more details in our article “IoT in Agriculture and 10 Agritech Startups in India”.
Why do We Need LoRa in Smart Agriculture?
What LoRa can do for agriculture is countless, temperature monitoring, humidity monitoring, carbon dioxide and soil control, crop management, and many more. Any application that relates to a large amount of data collection can be data transmitted by LoRa.
Just like what has been mentioned above, in the article “Quick Guide to Understand LoRa and LoRa Modules” we have introduced LoRa and its characteristics: transmitting small packets of data (with low data rate) for tens of kilometers with very little power. Hence, it makes LoRa a great technology for agriculture as the farms are always super huge and difficult to control by merely manpower.
What Kinds of LoRa Modules Match Smart Agriculture?
There are plentiful LoRa modules out there in the market, and some match smart agriculture better than others. Among them, long transmission range and compact module size are two major selection standards. What happens is that it is hard to achieve both, LoRa modules with a long transmission range cannot be too small, while miniature LoRa modules cannot transmit for too long.
More than these, ultra-low power consumption, high sensitivity, and interference immunity are important specifications for LoRa applying to smart agriculture as well. That is to say, people are expecting to use LoRa modules transmitting and receiving the correct data with the least power. Overall, LoRa modules with a long transmission range, small size, low power consumption, high sensitivity, and interference immunity would be great matches for smart agriculture.
What is the Future of LoRa in Smart Agriculture?
Before answering this question, we need to know the future of smart agriculture first. In the future, not only sensors and processors will be used, but more integrated advanced technologies like robotic systems and artificial intelligence (AI) will be applied to agriculture. With no doubt, it will make farming more efficient, profitable, and environmentally protective.
| Smart Agriculture Dimension | Now | Future |
|---|---|---|
| Use new techniques to produce differently | Hydroponics Algae feedstock Bioplastics | Desert agriculture Seawater farming |
| Use new technologies to increase the efficiencies | Vertical/ urban farming | Genetic modification Cultured meats 3D printing |
| Incorporate cross – industry technologies and applications | Drone technology Data analytics Precision agriculture Internet of Things | Nanotechnology Artificial intelligence Food sharing Blockchain |
And LoRa will still play an important role in the future of smart agriculture. Through the capability of long-range transmission with low power, LoRa will definitely realize a more data collection required application, manage crops better, and make farming more precise.
Find LoRa Modules at TECHDesign for Smart Agriculture Application: Let REYAX RYLR998 Amaze You!
Now, a brand new LoRa module RYLR998 from the leading supplier REYAX has already hit the store shelves at TECHDesign. Operating at 868/915 MHz, with Nuvoton M031FB0AE microcontroller and Semtech LoRa engine built-in, RYLR998 can transmit as long as 20 km in an interference-free environment with a compact volume of 32 x 14 x 2.2 mm3. Not only that, but it also has high sensitivity (-129 dBm), high interference immunity, and low receive current, which suits the application of smart agriculture well.
As the COVID-19 pandemic seems never ending, RYLR998 was specially designed as a pigeon, to tell the world it not only transmits the data signals but also delivers love and peace. Come visit TECHDesign now to feel the warmth from RYLR998!
