LoRa-Based Farm Sensor Node: Complete FYP Build Guide
Build a LoRa farm sensor node for soil moisture, temperature and long-range low-data monitoring in an FYP prototype.
Rectronx
2026-07-11
A LoRa farm sensor node is a good FYP when the project needs longer range than normal WiFi. It is suitable for agriculture monitoring, greenhouse areas, remote sensors and low-data telemetry.
LoRa is not the same as WiFi. It is designed for small data packets over longer range, not video streaming or high-speed internet.
Quick Summary
The sensor node reads farm conditions, sends small packets through a LoRa module to a receiver node, and the receiver displays or uploads the data to a dashboard.
Recommended Components
- ESP32 or Arduino for sensor node
- SX1278 or compatible LoRa module
- Soil moisture sensor
- BME280 or DHT22
- Battery pack
- Receiver ESP32 with LoRa module
- Optional dashboard using MQTT, Firebase or local web server
System Workflow
- Sensor node wakes up and reads values.
- Node sends a small LoRa packet.
- Receiver node receives and validates packet.
- Data is shown on display or uploaded to dashboard.
- System records signal reliability and sensor trends.
Build Scope
Basic version: one sender and one receiver.
Intermediate version: two or three sensor nodes with node ID.
Advanced version: sleep mode, battery estimation and dashboard history.
Testing Plan
Test short range first, then increase distance gradually. Record packet success rate, RSSI if available, sensor value and environment condition.
Common Mistakes
- Expecting LoRa to behave like WiFi
- Sending too much data too often
- Poor antenna placement
- No packet ID or node ID
- No range test evidence
Report Sections
Include communication architecture, packet format, sensor calibration, range testing and power limitation.
References Checked
- Semtech LoRa overview: https://www.semtech.com/lora