Development and Test of a Low Power Sensor Device in Intensive Almond Crops : A Case Study in the Region of Beira Baixa

In recent years the Internet of Things, in addition to use cases in 'smart cities', has also increasingly been used in precision agriculture. As in the rest of the world, it has been a growing reality in Portugal. In an agricultural environment, where energy resources can be scarce and dispersed, the implementation of a LoRa network with autonomous sensor nodes must consider the limitations imposed by the energy consumed by the sensor node, when powered by a battery and a solar panel. For this, experimental tests must be carried out so that there is enough data for the implementation and optimization of the devices. This article presents a work focused on the study of the autonomy and energy efficiency of the sensor device, using algorithms capable of managing energy consumption as a function of the luminosity of the place. Preliminary results attest to the relevance of this approach, keeping the sensor node in operation without interruptions.