LoRa Bee and LoRa shield for Arduino

The Dragino LoRa shield is also available as a separate product, with or without on-board GPS module. Stick it on an Arduino Uno compatible board to create a LoRa node. On the shield sits a LoRa module (again, beware of the factory preset frequency) in the shape of an XBee module, the LoRa Bee. These modules are based on HopeRF RF96 wireless modems, not on Semtech parts as the other ones.

 
Dragino LoRa Arduino shield
Dragino LoRa Arduino shield with on-board GPS module.

The RadioHead library make programming a breeze

Software support for these shields comes in the shape of a Dragino version of the very powerful open source communication library RadioHead. With this library writing a sketch to set up a LoRa connection is a breeze. Details on how to do this can be found in edition 3/2018 (May & June) of Elektor Magazine. (Note: at the time of writing of this review the 3/2018 edition is being written. The link will become active as soon this edition is on publication.)

Raspberry Pi is not forgotten

Those who prefer Raspberry Pi to build their own LoRa gateway, there is the Lora/GPS HAT. It is similar to the LoRa/GPS shield, but in the shape of an RPi hat.

Conclusion

Dragino offers an interesting range of products which make LoRa networking available to IoT enthusiasts. From professional weather- and waterproof very-remote end nodes to Arduino-based tinker setups, and from good-looking LoRa gateways to DIY Raspberry-Pi-based contraptions, Dragino has a solution for everyone and every application.

If this overview has whetted your appetite, you may want to read more about LoRa.