Planning tool tutorial
Learn how to use the Planning tool to prepare a coverage estimation for a Site with these step-by-step instructions.
See Also
Before using this tutorial, review Coverage estimation which describes the features of the Planning tool.
Goal
In this tutorial, you will use a random Site location to draw three paths (hiking, power line and roadway paths) and three areas (including an inaccessible area) and then add connectivity zones (Border Gateway and Mesh Gateways). You can then add some comments to the plan
When completed, you then export a summary document and release the deployment plan.
Prerequisites
To complete this tutorial, you need to complete the following prerequisites. You can skip ahead if you've already completed these tasks:
Access credentials to the Site Management app. Contact Dryad Sales if you don't already have one.
Deployment app installed on your Smartphone.
You have created a Site in the Site Management app. If you haven't already done so, you can learn how to create a Site here.
Find the Site location
Find a random Site location. This would be where the Silvanet Gateways and Wildfire Sensors are to be deployed.
You can select any location as an example. In this tutorial, we make a plan to deploy Silvanet in an area in northern British Columbia, Canada. It includes a deep valley, thick forests, a settlement, power lines, roadways and forestry paths.
From the Site view, select Planning tool from the ellipsis menu (upper-right corner).
In the Planning tool use the Search field to find the deployment location.
Save your project.
Planning tool file
When you save a project, it is saved as a Site Planning file in the form of <filename.dryad>. Make sure you save your changes to the project file after each step in the tutorial.
Draw three paths
Use the Draw Path tool to define high density areas the Site. They can be set as hiking paths, power lines, roads or railroads.
Multiple paths
The cumulative number of sensors planned for all paths are included in the Sensor count.
Draw a hiking path
Create a path: Select the Draw Path tool, then begin the path by selecting the starting point and dragging the path along the route. End the path by double-clicking on the map. Notice the white dots. These are the locations where the Planning tool determined where to place the Wildfire Sensors in the path.
Describe the path: In the Path Settings panel shown on the left enter the following information:
Name: Enter a descriptive name.
Path type: Select Hiking Path
Protection Level: Select Mid. The slider is used to determine Wildfire Sensor density (Low, Mid, High). The distance between Sensors affects the amount deployed. The higher the protection level, the shorter the distance between Sensors.
(Optional) Add Wildfire Sensors to path: Select Manual Planning, then select Add Sensor. Try placing an additional Sensor icon somewhere in the path. Notice the Sensor number incremented by 1.
Save the project
Draw a power line path
Add another path but In this case select Power Line from the Path type dropdown. Notice how the Planning tool wraps each power line tower with four Sensors.
Draw a roadway path
Add the third path but in this case select Roadway from the Path type dropdown. Notice the increased density of Sensors for a roadway compared to a hiking path.
You should now have three paths shown on the map.
Draw three areas
Use the Draw Area tool to define lower density areas of the Site. It also can be used to define inaccessible areas within the Site.
Multiple areas
To make planning easier, define multiple areas. Sensors from all areas are included in the total Sensor count.
Add the first area
Find an area on the map to add the first of three areas. In this case, we use the area that includes a valley, a hillside and areas that are sparsely wooded. It follows the contours of the hiking path and crosses the power line path. We call it the North ridge.
Create an area: Using the Draw Area tool, begin the area by selecting a start point, then drag the path along the boundary of the area and then double-click on the map to complete the area. Notice how the Planning tool placed Sensors. These locations are automatically generated.
Describe the area: Enter the following information in the Path Settings panel:
Name: Enter a descriptive name.
Surface area: This is automatically generated.
Accessible: For this area, do not select this. This slider sets the area as inaccessible (such as private property, military area, restricted area).
Protection Level: Select Mid. Use the slider to determine Wildfire Sensor density (Low, Mid, High). The distance between Sensors affects the amount deployed. The higher the protection level, the shorter the distance between Wildfire Sensors.
Save the project.
Add or remove sensors You can move, rename or delete a sensor. For details, see Planning tool.
Draw a second area
Add a second area is on the opposite side of the hiking path and crosses the power line path. We call it the South ridge.
Use the same procedure as for the first area to add a second area. Give it a unique name.
Use the same Area settings as the first area.
Save the project.
Draw an inaccessible area
In this area, define an inaccessible area. This is an area that is off-limits and cannot be used to deploy Sensors. Use the Draw Area tool to define this area but in this case, slide the Accessible selector to Off. The area then is defined without Wildfire Sensors.
Select the Draw Area tool and define this area using the same settings as the other areas but set the Accessible slider to off. This makes the area inaccessible and no Sensors are added to the area.
Save the project.
Add connectivity zones
Use the Plan Connectivity tool to define connectivity zones. Each zone (shown in blue) represents the areas around Border Gateways and Mesh Gateways where Wildfire Sensors can connect to the Gateway.
Connectivity zones have the following properties:
Blue overlay: The line-of-sight of the Gateway is indicated by an irregular blue overlay that shows areas where the Gateway has connectivity.
Open areas: Open areas in the connectivity zone indicates topology that prevents signals from reaching those areas. These areas require additional Mesh Gateways. They must be added within existing blue areas.
Sufficient coverage
Add Mesh Gateways until you have achieved at least 95% coverage.
Add a Border Gateway
First add a Border Gateway. Look for a location at the forest edge where the Gateway can expect clear line-of-sight to mobile towers and free of trees or structures to ensure good solar radiation on the solar panel. If a structure is available that can provide a mains power supply, place the Border Gateway nearby the structure.
Network Coverage bar
Notice the Network Coverage progress bar. This indicates the percentage of coverage achieved. The goal is 95% network coverage.
Select the Plan Connectivity tool.
Place a Border Gateway on the map.
The first Gateway is defined as a Border Gateway. Ensure Border Gateway is selected from the Gateway Type.
The GPS location of the Border Gateway is automatically generated.
Save the project.
Add Mesh Gateways
Use the Plan Connectivity tool to add a Mesh Gateway.
Placement of Mesh Gateways
Ensure you add a Mesh Gateway within the blue zone of the Border Gateway. This ensures the Mesh Gateway has connectivity to the Border Gateway.
Add a Mesh Gateway using the same procedure as adding a Border Gateway but select Mesh Gateway from the Gateway Type. You must place the Mesh Gateway within the blue connectivity zone of the Border Gateway.
Save your project.
Add additional Mesh Gateways
Continue adding more Mesh Gateways until the Site has sufficient network coverage (minimum 95%)
Use the same procedure to add more Mesh Gateways until you see the Network Coverage progress bar reaching at least the 95% connectivity threshold. Ensure Mesh Gateway is the Gateway Type.
Save your project.
Add a comment
Add a few relevant comments to the map. They can be anything you notice about the terrain, the amount of human activity, anything you think needs to be noted directly in the plan.
Release Deployment Plan
When you are satisfied with the deployment plan, generate the Packets for use by the Silvanet Deployment app. You do this by releasing the deployment plan.
Select Release Deployment Plan.
The Planning tool may find problems with the plan: If the Planning tool identifies issues with the planned locations of Sensors and Gateways, it prevents Packets being generated. Go through the list of issues and fix them.
Example issue - unconnected Sensor: In this example a Sensor was placed outside a Connectivity Zone. You need to move the Sensor within the nearest blue zone. In the example below, notice the Sensor placed outside a connected area. After moving this Sensor a few meters into the Connectivity Zone, it resolved this issue.
Issues resolved: With all issues resolved, the Deployment Plan is ready to be released. Select Release Plan to generate the Packets. You can now find the Packets in your Deployment app under the same Site you used to start the Planning tool.
Save your project.
Select Quit to close the Planning tool.
Export Site Summary document
An editable .docx file can be exported for use during deployment.
From the Planning tool, select Export Summary.
Save to a local drive for use by Silvanet device deployers.
See Also
For details, see Export planning summary in Coverage estimation.
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