IoT Sensors and Irrigation Control
From idea to ready-to-ship product
Industry
AgriTech / IoT
Product
Professional Sensor Platform
Highlight
Complete Lifecycle incl. Production & Packaging
The Sensor System
- Crop Protection Station: leaf wetness, wind, temperature, humidity, precipitation
- Frost Station: dry/wet bulb temperature, wind
- Soil Moisture Station: soil moisture, soil temperature
- Irrigation Control: 4 valves, 4 pressure sensors
Automated Irrigation Control
Beyond sensing, the Feldfühler system also actively controls irrigation. Based on measurement data from soil moisture, temperature, and weather conditions, the system decides automatically when and how long to irrigate.
The Challenge
Feldfühler develops IoT sensors for professional agriculture. The system provides farmers with precise information about the local microclimate and enables intelligent, automated irrigation. To make it happen, they needed a partner who could cover the entire journey:
- Extreme outdoor conditions: the system must be IP69 rated
- Self-sufficient power supply without maintenance, no external energy source in the field
- Transition from prototype to series, reproducible and cost-efficient
- Fast go-to-market, from concept to ready-to-ship product
Reliable Communication Across Wide Fields
One of the biggest challenges was wireless connectivity. The sensors are spread across open fields, often kilometers away from the nearest building. Vegetation, terrain, and weather significantly affect signal quality. In rural areas, mobile coverage is not a given.
We combined two wireless technologies: LoRa for sensor communication and NB-IoT for irrigation control. In open terrain, LoRa reaches ranges of up to 10 km, but is susceptible to signal loss caused by trees and terrain features. NB-IoT offers deeper building penetration and more stable connections, but has coverage gaps in remote regions. Combining both technologies ensures that sensor data arrives reliably and that valve control works in real time.
LoRa (sensors)
Long range, low power consumption, ideal for battery-powered field sensors. Range up to 10 km depending on terrain and vegetation.
NB-IoT (irrigation)
Cellular-based, deep penetration, reliable for real-time valve control. Requires network coverage, works even with poor reception.
Solar & Energy
The heart of the power supply: an integrated solar panel combined with a 4,800 mAh battery. The system is entirely self-sufficient, even under overcast skies and during winter months. Years of maintenance-free operation without an external power source, without battery changes, without field service.
Electronics & Firmware
Complete circuit design and PCB layout for the control unit. The firmware handles sensor data acquisition, wireless data transmission, and intelligent energy management, optimized for minimal power consumption with maximum reliability.
Production & Packaging
We manufacture the finished product and deliver it packaged to Feldfühler, ready for sale to their customers.
- CE certification: full management of the certification process
- Production line: setup and operation of series production
- Quality assurance: every device is tested before shipping
Technologies
The Result
100%
in-house development
IP69
water and dust tight
4,800 mAh
battery
Feldfühler is our most comprehensive project: from the initial idea through electronics, firmware, and certification to ongoing series production and ready-to-ship packaging. A true full-lifecycle partner, from idea to series.
From idea to ready-to-ship product?