Low-Cost Airdropping Sensor System Based on Light Balloons and LoRa Communication

Wide-area sensor networks play a crucial role in earth observation applications. A critical challenge is designing an efficient communication infrastructure for these sensor networks. Currently, satellite communication systems are commonly used, but they require high power consumption for sensor end nodes, limiting their operational lifetime. High-altitude platform stations (HAPS) offer extended communication coverage but involve high costs associated with HAPS vehicles. This study explores the potential of leveraging LoRa communication to establish a wide-area sensor network using light balloons. We developed a LoRa-based airdropping sensor system integrated with light balloons and examined its practicality. Field experiments demonstrated the system’s ability to measure the atmospheric profile by deploying sensors over distances exceeding 100 km, enabled by low-power wide-area communication of LoRa.