Pre-planning a Site

Use the Pre-Planning tool to plan sensor density and locations, Mesh and Border Gateway density and locations and ensure connectivity between sensors and the Silvanet Mesh Network.

In this section, we prepare a set of Packets using the Pre-Planning tool. The Site chosen has paths, railways, road and other structures nearby that demonstrate a typical WUI (Wildland Urban Interface). This is an area where wildland (forests and meadows) intersect with urban areas.

The Site also has areas that are typically inaccessible to most people and may require hiking through forests with Silvanet devices and tools to deploy the devices.

If you have already prepared part of your Site Pre-Planning, open the <filename.dryad> Pre-planning fire to continue or to modify the plan.

Search location

Find the Site location where you plan on deploying gateways and sensors.

  1. Open the Pre-planning tool

  2. Use the Search field to find the deployment location for the Silvanet Gateways and Sensors.

  3. Save your project.

Define paths

Paths are typically areas that require a higher density of sensors. Examples of paths in the Pre-Planning tool include hiking paths, lanes and roadways, rail lines, power lines or other linear areas that have a higher level of human activity than a forested area.

The cumulative number of sensors planned for all paths are included in the Sensor count.

Procedure demo

Draw paths

Use the Draw Path tool to define the density of sensors along elements of the Site expected to have human use, such as hiking paths, roadways and power lines.

  1. Select the Draw Path tool.

  2. Using the tool, begin the path by selecting a start point, then drag the path along the route and then double-click on the map to end the path. The GPS locations of the sensors in the path are automatically generated and saved.

  3. Enter details in the Path Settings panel:

    1. Name: Enter a descriptive name.

    2. Path type: Select from Hiking Path, Road, Railway, Power Line or Other.

    3. Protection Level: Use the slider to determine sensor density (Low, Mid, High). The distance between sensors affects the amount of sensors deployed. The higher the protection level, the shorter the distance between sensors.

  4. Save your project.

  5. If required, you can add sensors at specific points. Select Manual Planning, then select Add Sensor.

  1. Save your project.

Add or remove sensors You can move, rename or delete a sensor. For details, see Pre-Planning tool.

Terrain view

Switching to Terrain view shows the topology of the path and how it may affect message transmissions to/from the sensors.

Map view

Switching to Map view highlights the urban and forested/park areas of the paths.

Define areas

Areas are large segments of the Site where a lower density of sensors are expected. They are usually areas of low human activity or almost no human activity. This can be areas typically off-limits to human activity, remote areas, or forested areas that may have pathways running through them.

A deployment Site can have multiple areas defined for easier planning.

The cumulative number of sensors planned for all areas are included in the sensor count.

Procedure demo

Draw areas

Use the Draw Area tool to define lower sensor density areas of the Site. It also can be used to define inaccessible areas within the define Site geometry.

  1. Select the Draw Area tool.

  2. Using the 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. The GPS locations of the sensors in the area are automatically generated and saved.

  3. Enter details in the Path Settings panel:

    1. Name: Enter a descriptive name.

    2. Surface area: This is automatically generated.

    3. Accessible: Select this option of the area is accessible to humans. If it is inaccessible (such as private property, military area, restricted area) then no sensors can be deployed in the defined area.

    4. Protection Level: Use the slider to determine sensor density (Low, Mid, High). The distance between sensors affects the amount of sensors deployed. The higher the protection level, the shorter the distance between sensors.

  4. Save your project.

  1. Select Draw Area tool and using the same procedure define a second area.

  2. Save your project.

  1. If any areas are not accessible, use the Draw Area tool to define this area. In this case, slide the Accessible selector off. The area then is defined without sensors.

  2. Save your project.

Add or remove sensors You can move, rename or delete a sensor. For details, see Pre-Planning tool.

Plan Connectivity

After planning paths and areas, the sensors need connectivity to one or more Border Gateways.

You first add a Border Gateway to ensure connectivity to the Internet. Find a location that is at the edge of a forest and, ideally, has access to a mains power supply.

When a Border Gateway or Mesh Gateway is added to the Pre-Planning map, the line-of-sight of the gateway is shown as a blue area. You may notice broken areas in the blue area. This is due to topology that prevents signals from reaching those areas. These areas require Mesh Gateways.

Next, add Mesh Gateways to the Pre-Planning map. They must be added within existing blue areas which allows the Mesh Gateways to connect with existing gateways. Add sufficient Mesh Gateways until you have achieved 90% to 100% coverage of the Site.

Procedure demo

Define gateway connectivity

Use the Plan Connectivity tool to ensure the sensors have connectivity to the Silvanet Mesh Network and to the Border Gateway.

  1. Select the Plan Connectivity tool.

  2. Use the tool and place a Border Gateway on the map. If no gateways have been added, the initial gateway is defined as a Border Gateway. The GPS location of the Border Gateway is automatically generated and saved.

  3. Save your project.

  1. Use the Plan Connectivity tool to add a Mesh Gateway. Ensure you add it within the blue zone of the Border Gateway. This way the Mesh Gateway has connectivity to the Border Gateway.

  2. Save your project.

  1. Continue added more Mesh Gateways until the Site has sufficient network coverage, as shown in the green bar.

  2. Save your project.

3D View

Select 3D View to rotate the site. This reveals areas that may not be covered by sensors or other deployment issues, such as steep hills that may be difficult to traverse.

Add Comments

Comments can be added to the Pre-Planning tool for use during deployment.

Release deployment plan

When you are satisfied with the deployment plan, you can then generate the Packets for use by the Silvanet Deployment app.

  1. Select Release Deployment Plan.

  2. If the application identifies issues with the planned locations of sensors and gateways (such as sensors not connected to gateways), it prevents the generation of the Packets before the issues are corrected. Go through the list of issues and correct them.

  1. For example, move an unconnected sensor within the blue zone of a Mesh Gateway to resolve one of the issues.

  1. Notice the sensor sitting within an unconnected area. This sensor can be moved a few meters to be within a connected area.

  1. With all issues resolved, the Deployment Plan is ready to be released. Select Release Plan to generate the Packets.

  1. Save your project, then select Quit to close the Pre-Planning tool.

  1. Later if you need to modify the plan, open the project file and make any required changes.

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