Collaboration of LoRaWAN and Underwater Acoustic Communications in Sensor Data Collection Applications

The Robotic Vessels as-a-Service (Robo VaaS) project aims to provide innovative services in a harbor scenario, exploiting new technologies to enhance different aspects of harbor activities. In this paper we analyze the data collection service from underwater sensor nodes. Specifically, we assess the End-To-End (E2E) communication, from sensor nodes deployed in the harbor to the gateway placed on the shore. The sensor data is collected by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), and then forwarded to one or more surface buoys. Finally, the buoys convey the received data to the shore. Communication from the underwater sensors to the AUV and from the AUV to the surface buoys is performed through acoustic links, while the communication from the surface buoys to the shore gateway is performed via LoRaWAN. In this scenario we evaluate the performance of the E2E communication, by simulating both the underwater and the above water network.