Browsing around tech sites, you’ve likely heard the term LoRa, or LoRaWAN thrown around. While you’ve probably established that it’s a long range IoT specificaion, documentation on how to get started with it can be somewhat elusive. Muddying the waters further is that some telecom operators are implementing this type of network, leading to the question of whether you can implement your own private network.
The good news is that this technology operates on the open spectrum, meaning that while you can use a telecom network to help with your LoRa needs, you can also set up your own. For a great way to get started, the Dragino LoRa IoT Kit includes everything you need to set up your own network, including a LoRa gateway, two LoRa shields (one with GPS capabilities), two Arduino Uno clones, and even wiring and sensors to capture data. Importantly, the kit also provides examples to help you get up and running.
While this type of network operates at 50 kbps or less, the claimed transmission range of 5-10km using this system is extremely exciting. While it might not work for VoIP calls, reading a sensor at a distance or giving short commands to a robot are ideal applications!
