Design and Feasibility Analysis of a LoRa Based Communication System for Disaster Management

Abstract

In the context of earthquake and flood disasters,
effective communication remains a pivotal concern due to the
vulnerability of conventional networks. In this paper a system
has been designed and investigated to deploy LoRa based mesh
networks in disaster-stricken areas using amphibious rovers. The
system was tested in urban environments as well as in
simulations using the Meshtasticator simulator and OkumuraHata path loss model. Critical parameters such as
communication range, SNR (Signal to noise ratio), RSSI
(Received Signal Strength Indicator) rate, data transmission
speed, bandwidth, frequency, and delay have been evaluated. The
measured outcomes of this study were compared with other
existing technologies proposed for disaster communication and
management, indicate that fast deployment of Meshtastic LoRa is
more reliable for operating at lower frequencies and hence for
long-distance communication compared to other existing disaster
communication technologies. The results of this study indicate
the proposed system can operate at about 2-6 times the range
with acceptable performance parameters and superior uptime.
These findings not only enrich the discourse on disaster
management strategies but also offer insights into crafting
adaptive, feasible and resilient communication systems.