Offshore LoRaWAN Networking: Transmission Performances Analysis Under Different Environmental Conditions

This paper presents the architecture and the performances of a Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) infrastructure used for data transmission from a floating sensor node placed in the middle of the sea to a multi-Gateway structure positioned on the coast, whose purpose is the monitoring of offshore breeding cages within a fish farming plant. In particular, the sensor node is installed on a seamark buoy and it is interfaced with ad hoc sensors for the measurement of marine parameters. All sampled data are conveyed ashore to the Gateways by successfully covering the distance of 8.33 km. The paper presents the results concerning the performances of the data transmission for a 70 days operating period, analyzing the radio parameters (Signal-to-Noise Ratio - SNR and Received Signal Strength Indicator - RSSI) in relation with the variations of environmental parameters like temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure as well as weather conditions. The proposed system demonstrates the usability of the LoRaWAN in all those cases where data collection from offshore monitoring structures is required: while this infrastructure focuses on the monitoring of fish farming plants, it may find application in several contexts, from navigational buoys to offshore oil plants.