The Narromine Irrigation Board of Management (NIBM) has taken a big leap forward in the digitalisation of its extensive stock and domestic water scheme. Partnering with Novecom Pty Ltd (Novecom), NBIM has successfully implemented a low-cost, low-power agricultural communication and connectivity network, covering 54 remote water meters.
Novecom designed an integrated SynaptiX ConnectMESH, a LoRa mesh network, to deliver a resilient, cost-effective solution for telemetering water metering data across the stock and domestic scheme.
In integrating LoRa radio and mesh network technology with its own SynaptiX IIoT platform, SynaptiX ConnectMESH, is arguably the first commercial LoRa mesh network in Australia, if not the world.
SynaptiX ConnectMESH extends the SynaptiX IIoT ecosystem to be a complete solution to sensing and connectivity in remote farming regions.
Jeremy Pola, Novecom’s Managing Director, believes LoRa mesh solutions are ideal for Agricultural applications.
“LoRa is robust and enables cost-effective real-time monitoring, aiding effective decision-making and ultimately assisting in efficiency and productivity gains,” said Jeremy.
The Narromine stock and domestic scheme covers approximately 1,200 km2 and provides water to 54 properties. Heralded as a first for Australian agriculture, SynpatiX ConnectMESH delivers on the need to overcome rural connectivity issues that have plagued the uptake of digital monitoring technologies for many years.
Through smart design and radio frequency modelling the NIBM network was optimised to include 5 gateways and 49 nodes. Each LoRa mesh node has a zero-dollar operating cost, so there are only 5 data plans to pay for, delivering a significant operational cost saving.
“We are proud to have partnered with NIBM to provide a robust data communications solution where other communication networks don’t reach” said Jeremy.
Contact Novecom to discuss effective and affordable data communications solutions covering large properties or agricultural cooperatives.
Novecom technologies
SynaptiX ConnectMESH
SynaptiX ConnectMESH is arguably the first commercial LoRa mesh network in Australia, if not the world. Developed by Novecom Pty Ltd (Novecom) SynaptiX ConnectMESH provides a resilient low power wide area network (LPWAN) layer for low power, low data rate applications where other communication networks don’t reach.
When integrated with the SynaptiX Collector IoT node you can begin to build your network of sensors across your property and be confident in reaching those areas that have previously been out of reach.
Connectivity remains one of the main factors inhibiting the uptake of smart sensors and distributed monitoring in agriculture. If you can solve connectivity, you can open opportunities to utilise smart sensors to improve your business operations.
LoRa Mesh – Applications in agriculture
LoRA is a low-power, wide-area network (LPWAN) technology that enables long-range communication with low data rates. LoRA-based communication in agriculture provides a cost-effective, energy-efficient, and reliable solution for collecting and transmitting critical data over long distances. It enables real-time monitoring, situational awareness, and effective decision-making, ultimately assisting in efficiency and productivity gains.
SynaptiX ConnectMESH is a fully integrated sensor and LoRa communications network, offering complete and seamless real-time monitoring for long range, low data rate applications where resilience and independence of carrier networks is required.
The resilient and self-healing properties of a mesh network provide opportunities for effective communication of critical data in remote and harsh environments where traditional communication networks cannot reach.
The multi-hop mesh capability allows the physical coverage area of a network to extend well beyond the single link distance of a point-to-point LoRa link and may extend the reach of the network by many tens of kilometres.
The acquisition and communication of data about water level, temperature, humidity, wind direction, wind speed and, GPS coordinates can provide valuable insights into environmental conditions and guide your response to emerging events.
A recently installed water metering telemetry network for the Narromine Irrigation Board of Management (NIBM) has brought together 54 remote water meters across a 1,200 km2 area using SynaptiX ConnectMESH. The benefit of remote meter reading and system diagnostics is a significant efficiency improvement to manually attending and reading meters every quarter. Additionally, water users can monitor their own water use and keep track of their water efficiency goals.
