In remote control and remote monitoring systems, radio communication is what enables sensors, field nodes, gateways and distributed infrastructures to transform local data into information available at a distance.
When the link is not stable, the issue does not only concern the loss of a signal. It may mean missing data, incomplete supervision, delayed interventions, remote control difficulties and lower service reliability.
In these contexts, the antenna should not be considered a component to be selected at the end of the project. It is part of the RF architecture and can contribute to communication continuity, real coverage and the device’s ability to operate under the actual installation conditions.
ElettroMagnetic Services Srl designs and manufactures custom antennas and tailor-made antenna systems for remote control, remote monitoring and distributed infrastructure applications.
Custom antennas for remote control and antennas for remote monitoring must be designed by considering the real device, the radio technology used, the installation point, the required coverage and the operating conditions in which the system will have to work over time.
We do not supply complete remote control platforms, nor do we develop active electronics, radio modules, gateways or monitoring software. Our contribution concerns the antenna part: design, optimisation, manufacturing and characterisation of custom antennas and antenna systems intended to be integrated into the Customer’s RF devices.
The objective is to help the Customer develop an antenna solution that is consistent with the RF architecture, the final device and the operating environment in which it will have to work.
Antennas for remote sensors, gateways, IoT nodes and distributed infrastructures
A remote control or monitoring system may be made up of very different devices. A remote sensor may have to transmit a small amount of data for long periods with reduced consumption. A gateway may have to collect communications from many distributed nodes. Equipment installed on an infrastructure may be located in an unfavourable position from a radio point of view.
Antennas for IoT sensors, antennas for IoT gateways and antennas for IoT nodes must be evaluated according to the role of the device within the network: data collection, transmission to the gateway, area coverage, link continuity and operating autonomy.
For this reason, the antenna should not be evaluated only as a component of the individual device, but also in relation to the role that device plays in the network.
Antennas for IoT networks must therefore be evaluated not only on the individual device, but also in relation to the network topology, the distance between nodes and gateways, the obstacles present, the quality of radio coverage and the required service continuity.
An antenna solution that is correct for a field node may not be suitable for a gateway. Similarly, an antenna suitable for a device installed in an open field may not work in the same way inside an electrical cabinet, in an industrial plant or close to metal structures.
Designing the antenna according to the real application means reducing the risk that the device may be compliant during testing, but lose reliability once installed in the field.
Why a standard antenna may not be enough
A datasheet does not always describe how the antenna will behave in the actual conditions of use.
In remote control and monitoring systems, the device may be installed in very different environments: industrial plants, water networks, energy infrastructures, remote stations, electrical cabinets, machinery, technical buildings, tanks, outdoor areas or sites that are difficult to access.
Under these conditions, a standard antenna may be adequate as a single component, but not maintain the same efficiency, coverage or communication stability once integrated into the final configuration.
The issue is not only choosing an antenna compatible with the required electrical specifications. The point is to understand whether that solution can work in the real device, in the available position and in the environment in which the system will have to operate.
A custom design reduces the distance between nominal performance and real behaviour, transforming the constraints of the application into concrete design criteria.
Antennas for LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, LTE-M, Wi-Fi and IoT networks
Remote control and monitoring systems may use different radio technologies, such as LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, LTE-M, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ISM, UHF, VHF or proprietary solutions developed for a specific application.
LoRaWAN antennas, NB-IoT antennas and LTE-M antennas must be designed by considering not only the operating band, but also coverage, consumption, antenna position, device enclosure, installation environment and the real communication margin.
The choice of technology does not solve the communication problem by itself. A LoRaWAN node installed in an unfavourable position, an NB-IoT device placed inside a non-optimised enclosure or a gateway located in an industrial environment may present critical issues even when the radio module is correct.
For this reason, the antenna must be designed by considering the device, the technology used and the installation context. A custom design makes it possible to develop a solution that is more consistent with the communication objectives required by the project.
Radio efficiency, consumption and device autonomy
In many IoT applications, field nodes are battery-powered and must operate with reduced consumption for long periods.
When the radio link is weak or unstable, the device may increase transmission attempts, consume more energy and become more sensitive to the installation position or to the distance from the gateway.
In these cases, the antenna can make an important contribution to the balance between radio communication and device autonomy. A non-optimised antenna solution can reduce the link margin and make long-term operation less predictable.
Designing the antenna on the real device makes it possible to improve the consistency between RF performance, consumption and installation conditions, with a concrete advantage for distributed networks that must operate for long periods without frequent interventions.
Antennas integrated into devices, enclosures and field equipment
In remote control and monitoring systems, the antenna often has to be integrated into compact devices, plastic enclosures, rugged equipment, technical cabinets, outdoor boxes or sensors installed directly on the plant.
Antennas for industrial IoT devices must be developed by considering the enclosure, materials, available ground plane, position of the electronic board, presence of batteries, cabling or metal components and the real installation conditions in the field.
In these cases, even a small variation in antenna position, enclosure geometry or internal component layout can modify the RF behaviour of the device.
For this reason, ElettroMagnetic Services Srl develops custom antennas by working on the real device and not only on an ideal model.
The advantage is to obtain a solution that is more suitable for the actual shape of the product, the industrial constraints, the installation conditions and the performance objectives of the system.
Difficult installations and field operating conditions
Many remote control and monitoring applications are installed in places where RF behaviour is difficult to predict.
A sensor may be mounted close to a metal structure. A gateway may be installed in a technical room, on a pole, inside an electrical cabinet or within an infrastructure. An IoT node may be located in an industrial environment with obstacles, reflective surfaces or severe environmental conditions.
In these cases, an antenna datasheet is not enough to guarantee the result. The design must consider the device, the available position, the surrounding environment and the radio technology used.
This approach reduces the risk of discovering RF criticalities only after installation, when intervention may become more complex and expensive.
Rugged antennas for industrial, environmental and infrastructure monitoring
Remote monitoring applications may require devices capable of operating for long periods under non-ideal environmental conditions.
Industrial plant control, environmental monitoring, water networks, energy, smart cities, security, precision agriculture and infrastructure supervision can expose the antenna to humidity, dust, water, temperature variations, mechanical stresses or outdoor installations.
In these cases, RF performance, mechanical robustness and environmental protection must be considered together. A custom solution makes it possible to develop an antenna suited to real use, not only to verification under controlled conditions.
Rugged antennas for IoT must therefore maintain consistent RF behaviour even when the device operates in industrial, infrastructure or outdoor environments, where mechanical protection, materials, fixings, radomes and cabling can affect link stability.
From the operational requirement to the antenna solution
Every antenna project for remote control and monitoring starts from the analysis of the application scenario.
ElettroMagnetic Services Srl evaluates together with the Customer the type of device, the radio technology used, the role of the node in the network, the available position for the antenna, the enclosure, the installation conditions and the expected performance.
From this analysis, a tailor-made antenna solution is developed through electromagnetic simulation, prototyping, optimisation on the real device, measurements and characterisation in an anechoic chamber.
This process makes it possible to transform the constraints of the application into design criteria, reducing the uncertainty between expected performance and real behaviour.
The advantage for the Customer
Involving ElettroMagnetic Services Srl in the design of custom antennas for remote control, remote monitoring and IoT systems means addressing the RF part related to the antenna while design choices are still open.
This makes it possible to avoid standard antennas that are not optimised for the real device, reduce the risk of RF criticalities in the advanced stages of integration and develop an antenna solution that is consistent with the RF architecture, the final product and the installation environment.
It also means being able to verify the behaviour of the antenna or antenna system through measurements and characterisation in an anechoic chamber before delivery.
In remote control and monitoring systems, the antenna is not a secondary component. It should be evaluated from the earliest stages of definition of the RF architecture and the final device, when position, enclosure, cabling, power supply and coexistence with other radio systems can still be optimised.
Custom antennas for your remote control or monitoring system
If you are developing a remote control system, remote monitoring system, IoT sensors, gateways, field nodes, distributed infrastructures or connected devices for industrial, environmental or infrastructure applications, ElettroMagnetic Services Srl can support you in developing the custom antenna best suited to your application.
Tell us about your project: radio technology, device, enclosure, role in the network, available position for the antenna, installation conditions and expected performance are the starting point for designing an antenna solution that is truly consistent with your remote control or monitoring system.
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TECHNICAL INSIGHTS
TEP No.3 - Types and Design of Integrated Antennas for Wireless and IoT Applications
TEP No.4 - Integrated Antennas: Electrical Specifications on Datasheet and Measurements
TEP No.6 - Coverage Problem Using a Chip Antenna in a Proprietary IoT Device
TEP No.11 - Integrated Antennas: Engineering and Industrialization
TEP No.19 - A Custom Solution for Smart Water/Gas Metering
