Industrial IoT solutions - Creating a wireless crop monitoring solution to control irrigation systems where water is scarce

Irrigation systems in third-world countries, where water is a scarce commodity, require constant monitoring to ensure crops are regularly and efficiently supplied with water.

Many farms cover thousands of acres, which makes supervision of irrigation systems a challenge. Using our expertise, we helped a customer implement wireless technology to monitor and control irrigation systems, ensuring plant growth was maximised through efficient water delivery.

The solution was designed around a cutting-edge Skyworks RF module with wireless transceivers mounted in strategic positions across the plantation, negating the installation of costly cabling.

We worked closely with the design team to integrate the Skyworks SKY66243 868MHz front-end module. The module enabled the wireless solution to operate at a much lower output power with greater efficiency, extending the battery life of each remote transceiver without compromising on performance or wireless range.

Overcoming issues in the field with an alternative antenna solution

Early trials of the design revealed issues with the original whip antenna. Any damage to the antenna structure, from the environment, weather or animals, drastically reduced the range of the transceiver, resulting in operational issues.

We further supported the customer by redesigning the transmit-receive circuit, replacing the whip antenna with a compact, high-gain, surface mount alternative from Johanson Technology. This included the application of MTC shielding to protect the radio board against spurious emissions of radio waves and ensured compliance with FCC and ETSI regulations.

With initial boards now in production, trials will demonstrate how this new wireless system could revolutionise farming worldwide, with effective remote monitoring and control of water supplies across acres of farmland.

Turning great ideas into a customer success

Using our specialist technology portfolio and a pan-European team of technical experts, we have enabled thousands of designs to be realised, pushing many sectors and markets to new boundaries. The most important thing for us is to work with you to find the right solution for your requirements.

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Please contact us to discuss your requirements. We ensure your solutions are ahead of the curve with market-leading technology and total design support. Our competence centres across Europe are home to leading specialists in their respective fields, and we look forward to helping you with your next challenge.