Design, Development and Field Evaluation of a LoRa-Based Communication System for Rural and Off-Grid Communities

Rural and off-grid communities often experience limited or unreliable cellular and internet connectivity, making it difficult to communicate urgent needs and access timely assistance. This project will design, model, simulate, and implement a long-range communication system that enables users to send short emergency messages, location information, and basic status information without relying on conventional cellular or internet connectivity. The system could support applications such as requesting medical assistance, reporting livestock or crop-related incidents, and communicating other urgent community needs. Field tests will be conducted under different operating conditions to determine the achievable communication range and assess signal strength, packet delivery, latency, power consumption, and reliability.