Integrating LoRa-Based Communications into Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Data Acquisition from Terrestrial Beacons

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a paradigm that has rapidly evolved in recent years. The ability to connect many devices is driving the development of new types of applications that allow the remote monitoring of a wide variety of devices. One of the great challenges that has been identified in this field is the monitoring of sensors scattered in wide areas or located in environments with poor or even no communications coverage. To deal with this problem, different approaches based on cellular or satellite communications have been considered. However, these alternatives are complex and very expensive. To overcome these drawbacks, we designed a system based on unmanned aerial vehicles and LoRa technology that enables data transfer from sensors to a central system. Furthermore, machine learning techniques were applied to process and classify the data retrieved from the sensors. Finally, a Java-based application was developed, providing services such as data storage, processing, and visualization. To verify the correct operation of the proposed system, manual and autonomous flight tests were carried out, verifying the correct transmission of the data from the sensors to the central system.