Development of a microclimatic monitoring station for precision agriculture with long distances wireless communication system

Abstract

In the scene of new technology for Smart Farming it is important to develop a low cost station that can be monitored remotely. This would make it easier for farmers to monitor different stations (within a radius of up to 15 km). In addition, the use of several wireless monitoring stations is considered advantageous because it generates a decrease in the amount of water used, avoiding waste due to the connection of the irrigation pivots without the real need. In addition, it also generates energy savings, saving resources in general. The main applications are in precision farming, for example, in control of irrigation pivots in large-scale crops, such as wheat and soybean plantations. This project developed a micro controlled system for radio frequency wireless communication (LoRa), since these plantations are generally not located in places with access to the electric and cellular networks. The main functions are to monitor temperature and humidity, soil and air, as well as to know the location (GPS) of each station, to feed microclimatic databases that allow the control of irrigation system and better planning of the use of pesticides.