As the drive to connect the unconnected pushes forward, the focus is often on coverage. While that’s fundamental, there’s another critical element to consider – power. With hundreds of thousands of IoT devices deployed in all kinds of locations, power becomes a constraint that can hold back their potential. Here’s where low-power LoRaWAN makes its mark.
Low-power LoRaWAN makes it possible to deploy IoT sensors to monitor your assets and operations and stay connected for the long haul. Pair it with non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), like satellite connectivity, and the opportunities to send and receive data extend to the most remote, infrastructure-free environments on Earth.
In this blog, we explore why power is so vital in IoT, how low-power LoRaWAN enables efficiency in these deployments and how NTNs expand these opportunities even further.
Because in IoT, it’s not just about where we can connect but how long we can stay connected.
Why Power Efficiency Matters in IoT
When you deploy a sensor in the field, getting it connected is only half the challenge. The real test is keeping it active without maintenance for months or even years.
If you have assets in rural, rugged or hard-to-access locations, the success of IoT monitoring applications often hinges on how long a device can operate without human intervention. For example, when surveying wildlife, monitoring landslides or tracking assets across continents, sending someone out to change a battery on a sensor is costly, impractical and sometimes a logistical nightmare!
Traditional wireless networks only make this harder. Technologies such as Wi-Fi and cellular were designed primarily for speed and throughput, rather than efficiency. For IoT sensors in the field, these technologies tend to draw significantly more energy, making them ill-suited for battery-powered deployments that need to last for years. While future cellular standards such as 5G RedCap are being developed to reduce power demands, they are not yet mature, especially when it comes to non-terrestrial use. For now, these connectivity options remain impractical for IoT use cases beyond the reach of traditional infrastructure.
When grid access isn’t guaranteed, power efficiency becomes a strategic necessity. Devices need to operate independently for years, not months, without regular maintenance. Therefore, we need a solution that reduces power consumption to not only cut costs and improve sustainability, but also make large-scale, resilient IoT deployments viable.
How LoRaWAN Delivers Low-Power IoT
Low-power LoRaWAN was designed for ultra-efficient communications. Unlike traditional wireless technologies made for high data rates and always-on connectivity, LoRaWAN was purpose-built for long-range, low-bandwidth communication that consumes as little energy as possible.
The secret lies in its design. LoRaWAN devices use a modulation technique called LoRa (Long Range), which allows them to quietly transmit small packets of data over several kilometres with extremely low transmission power. These devices spend most of their time in sleep mode, only waking to transmit or receive brief updates. This innovative approach dramatically extends battery life. In many cases, a single battery can last at least ten years, depending on the frequency and size of transmissions.
Low-power LoRaWAN also operates in sub-GHz frequency bands, which offer enhanced signal penetration through obstacles such as trees, buildings, and terrain. That means devices can stay connected over wide areas with fewer gateways and less infrastructure, which is another win for efficiency!
The result of this forward-thinking technology is a wireless connectivity solution that’s power-efficient and truly built for scale, ideal for large sensor networks, remote monitoring, and energy-conscious deployments in the field.
Going Even Further with NTN: Low-Power LoRaWAN from Space
LoRaWAN’s power efficiency provides a pivotal advancement for scalable IoT, but on its own, it still relies on terrestrial gateways to receive those long-range signals. And in many remote areas, those gateways don’t exist.
To overcome this limitation, the solution lies above us: non-terrestrial networks (NTNs).
By placing the gateway in orbit on a satellite, we no longer need to lean on ground-based infrastructure. Yet critically, with LoRa technology, this data transmission still only requires a low power consumption, with no compromise on performance or reliability.
Leveraging direct-to-satellite connectivity for IoT applications is a major leap forward for Low-Power LoRaWAN. You retain the long battery life and energy efficiency but with ubiquitous coverage, spanning remote forests, glaciers, deserts and even offshore assets. Whether you require data from a single sensor or a thousand, it can all be transmitted directly to space without draining precious power or relying on patchy ground coverage.
With NTN integrated into LoRaWAN, the opportunities for low-power IoT become entirely location-independent. It’s a technological step forward that’s unlocking possibilities for monitoring, automation, and insight wherever it’s needed most.
Real-World Spotlight: Energy-Independent Tracking in Action
Linxens’ Satellite Sticker is a standout example of low-power LoRaWAN in the field, delivering real-time asset tracking via our LoRa-enabled IoT satellite network. As a compact, solar-powered tracking device, the satellite sticker monitors assets in transit, even when moving across remote or infrastructure-free environments.
Drawing energy from its integrated solar panels, the device is fully autonomous and built to last up to 15 years in the field. This combination of low-power design, energy harvesting, and resilient satellite connectivity enables hands-off, long-term tracking. It’s a real-life use case that proves that scalable, sustainable IoT is already in motion and that long-term, off-grid monitoring is already a reality.
Looking Ahead with Low-Power LoRaWAN
As IoT expands into more remote and critical spaces, efficiency is a key consideration that delivers a strategic edge. Low-power LoRaWAN, especially when combined with NTNs like satellite connectivity, is enabling a new generation of devices that can run longer, go further, and deliver reliable data with minimal energy demand.
At EchoStar Mobile, we specialise in making that possible, offering scalable, secure, and energy-efficient IoT connectivity through our LoRa®-enabled IoT satellite network.
If you’re ready to rethink what’s possible with low-power LoRaWAN, we’re here to help you lead the way.
Please get in touch with our team to explore the possibilities.