Why LoRa is ideal
for industrial and domestic IoT
Low power consumption, long range and effective obstacle penetration: learn about LoRa radio, how it differs from the LoRaWAN protocol and why Tankio uses LoRa with its included WiFi gateway.
In 2026, the Internet of Things (IoT) connects billions of devices worldwide. But not all these objects need 5G or WiFi to work. A large part of them — sensors, probes, gauges — need only transmit a few bytes of data per day, over long distances, with minimum electricity consumption.
This is exactly what LoRa (Long Range) delivers: a radio communication technology that has transformed IoT. In this article, we explore why this technology has become essential, how it works, and why tankio chose it for its connected level sensors.
Contents
history 1. The evolution of LoRa technology
LoRa was developed by the French company Semtech in the early 2010s. The technology is based on a proprietary radio modulation technique, derived from the CSS (Chirp spread spectrum), which transmits data over very long distances with very low emission power.
In 2015, the main players in the sector met to create the LoRaWAN Alliance, which defines and standardizes the LoRaWAN communication protocol (network layer). Today, the alliance has more than 500 members, including giants such as Cisco, IBM, Amazon, Orange, Bouygues Telecom and Proximus. This massive adoption has made LoRaWAN the de facto standard for low-data-rate IoT.
Tankio uses its own included gateway: the sensor sends readings to it over LoRa, then the gateway connects to the internet over WiFi. Installation therefore does not depend on a public LoRaWAN network.
network_cell 2. LPWAN: Why it works
LoRa belongs to the family of LPWAN technologies (Low Power Wide Area Network), designed specifically for the IoT. These networks are distinguished by three fundamental characteristics: low power consumption, long range and low data rate.
The principle of LPWAN is simple: instead of transmitting data continuously like WiFi or 4G, LPWAN devices send small data packets (a few dozen bytes) at regular intervals (every hour, every day). This approach reduces energy consumption by several orders of magnitude compared to traditional technologies.
Specifically, an LPWAN sensor like a tankio gauge can work 3 to 5 years on two AA batteries, against a few weeks for an equivalent WiFi sensor. This makes LPWAN essential for applications where sensors are difficult to access (buried tanks, basements, remote industrial sites).
LPWAN means less data and less energy, with longer range and battery life.
battery_saver 3. Low power consumption: the decisive advantage
Battery life is the LoRa's main advantage for IoT applications. A typical LoRa sensor consumes:
- 1-2 μA in deep sleep (99.9% of the time).
- 10-30 mA during transmission (a few milliseconds a day).
- 2-5 mA during measurement (a few hundred milliseconds a day).
This extremely low power consumption is achieved thanks to CSS modulation, which allows transmission with a very low signal-to-noise ratio. In practice, a LoRa sensor can emit to -20 dBm (100 times less than a WiFi smartphone) while being received several kilometers away.
Compare with a connected standby ESP8266 WiFi module: 15-50 mA. A WiFi sensor that sends data every hour must either be connected to the mains or accept batteries that last 2 to 4 weeks. For a connected gauge, this difference is decisive: no one wants to change the batteries of their tank sensor every month. We detail this comparison in our article LoRa vs WiFi for connected tank.
radar 4. Long range and penetration of obstacles
The second pillar of LoRa is its exceptional range. In rural areas, a LoRa sensor can communicate with a gateway located more than 15 km in direct visibility. In dense urban areas, the range is still 1 to 3 km, which largely covers most Belgian properties.
Two factors explain this range: the frequency band (868 MHz, which penetrates obstacles better than WiFi at 2.4 GHz) and the exceptional sensitivity of LoRa receivers (up to -148 dBm, compared with about -90 dBm for WiFi). A LoRa receiver can capture a signal 10,000 times lower than a WiFi receiver.
In concrete terms, this means that a sensor installed in a tank buried 2 meters underground manages to transmit its data to a gateway located in the house, even with several concrete slabs between the two. For a tank in a basement or rainwater tank in the garden, this penetration capacity is decisive. Find out how we apply this technology to our connected gauge.
apps 5. Real IoT applications of LoRa
LoRa is deployed in hundreds of thousands of applications around the world. These are the most common.
Smart metering
Utility companies are widely deploying connected gas, electricity and water meters using LoRaWAN. Automatic meter readings remove the need for home visits and help detect anomalies.
Intelligent agriculture
Soil moisture sensors, connected weather stations and level monitoring for agricultural water reserves: LoRa is the ideal technology for large agricultural areas where WiFi does not exist and where 4G costs too much.
Smart city
Connected street lighting, waste containers that report how full they are, parking spaces that detect occupancy, and visitor counters in parks. Many Belgian cities already use LoRa for these applications.
Monitoring of tanks (tankio)
Monitoring the level of rainwater tanks is an application perfectly suited to the LoRa: the sensor only needs to send one measurement per hour (a few dozen bytes), it is often located in a difficult place to access, and it has to operate years without intervention. tankio uses LoRa precisely for these reasons.
frequency 6. The 868 MHz band: a free European standard
The European LoRa uses the ISM band 863-870 MHz, known as "free band". This means that no licence is required to broadcast on this frequency, unlike the bands used by mobile telephony (which require subscription by an operator).
This band is regulated by the ERC 70-03 (CEPT) which sets emission power limits (max 25 mW ERP for most sub-bands) and duty cycles (duty cycle). LoRaWAN respects these constraints while offering remarkable performance.
The choice of 868 MHz is a considerable advantage over WiFi (2.4 GHz) or Bluetooth: the lower frequency offers a better propagation in buildings and less material absorption. If you have a tank in the basement or buried, the 868 MHz is 3 to 5 times more penetrating than 2.4 GHz. To learn more about our technology, consult the FAQ.
verified 7. Why tankio chose LoRa
At tankio, we evaluated all available technologies before designing our sensors. Our specifications were demanding: multi-year battery life, sufficient range to cross obstacles, installation without building work, industrial reliability. LoRa was the natural choice.
For the tank, LoRa allows the sensor to be installed without any constraints of proximity: whether your tank is in the basement, in the garage, outside or in a remote technical room, communication passes with the LoRa gateway placed in the house. No repeater, no cable, no complex network configuration.
For the rainwater tank, often buried or located outside, LoRa is even more relevant. The sensor transmits data from the tank without difficulty, and the gateway in the house transmits it to the app via your existing internet connection. All with 3-5 years of battery life, without any maintenance.
Finally, LoRa is a technology of the future: open, standardized, constantly evolving. By choosing LoRa, tankio guarantees its users a solution that will remain compatible and efficient for many years. Discover our solutions for tank and Rainwater tank.