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Dryad Silvanet Quick start

This Quick start briefly explains how to build and assign a deployment Packet and to deploy Silvanet Sensors and Gateways. A brief description of testing the deployment is also provided.

To do the steps in this tutorial, ensure you have the following:

Access Site Management app

The first step is to log in to the Silvanet Site Management app.

To open the Site Management app:

  • Go to dryad.app and sign in using your username and password provided to you from Dryad.

    Note

    If this is the first time logging in, you need to change your password. You cannot change your username.

    The Site management dashboard appears.

    Site management dashboard

    Site management dashboard

Open a Site

The Site Management dashboard displays all Sites to which you have been granted access. You may see one or more Sites on the dashboard, depending on your access level.

Info

A Site groups together sensor devices and gateways within a geographical area or with similar characteristics.

To open a Site:

  • Select Open from the ellipsis menu in the header of a Site to open the Site dashboard. Alternatively, you can select a Site name link to open the Site.

Site dashboard

Site dashboard

The Site dashboard shows any previously deployed gateways and sensors as well as the area covered by your Silvanet devices in either square meters or square feet, depending on your account settings.

Build a Deployment Packet

A Deployment Packet is a set of Silvanet devices (sensors and gateways) to be deployed in a Site. Each device in a Packet has its own GPS coordinates which are set during the building of the Packet. These GPS coordinates are used to find the location where the device is to be deployed. Once deployed, the GPS coordinates are updated to the actual location of the device.

Add a new Packet

To add a new Packet:

  1. Select Planning from the Site dashboard to open the Packet dashboard.

  2. In the Packet dashboard, select Add Packet.

  3. On the next page, give the packet a descriptive name.

  4. Center the map on the location where you plan to deploy the Silvanet Suite devices.

Tip

You can use the Search function to locate the area on the map.

Add Border Gateways

To add a Border Gateway to the Packet:

  1. From the Packet dashboard, select Add devices to packet to display the device options.

  2. Select Border Gateway from the Choose device type dropdown, enter the amount of Border Gateways to add, then select Add.

  3. Place the new Border Gateway on the map by first selecting the Border Gateways, then select Place on Map. The Border Gateway icon appears on the map at a default location. The Border Gateway icon appears as a gray (inactive) icon in the center of the map.

    Info

    For information about Border Gateway icons, see Status icons.

    Add Border Gateway to Packet and place on map

    Add Border Gateways to Packet and place on map

  4. Select Save to save the Packet to the Silvanet Cloud.

Add sensors

To add sensors to the Packet:

  1. From the Packet dashboard, select Add devices to packet to display the device options.

  2. Select Sensor from the Choose device type dropdown, enter the amount of sensors to add, then select Add.

  3. Place the new sensors on the map by first selecting the sensors from the list of devices, then select Place on Map. Sensor icons appear on the map at a default location. The sensors appear as gray (inactive) icons in the center of the map.

    Add sensors to Packet and place on map

    Add sensors to Packet and place on map

  4. Click the Save button.

Add Mesh Gateways

To add Mesh Gateways to the Packet:

  1. From the Packet dashboard, select Add devices to packet to display the device options.

  2. Select Mesh Gateway from the Choose device type dropdown, enter the amount of Mesh Gateways to add, then select Add.

  3. Place the new Mesh Gateways on the map by first selecting the Mesh Gateways from the list of devices, then select Place on Map. Mesh Gateway icons appear on the map at a default location. The Mesh Gateway icons appear as gray (inactive) icons in the center of the map.

    Add Mesh Gateway to Packet and place on map

    Add Mesh Gateway to Packet and place on map

  4. Click the Save button.

Move devices to planned locations

With the devices added to the map, you can now move the icons to their estimated final locations.

Note

When clicking on a icon in the map, the device's distances to the three nearest devices are shown on connecting lines. This helps you determine the device's distances to other devices.

To move the devices to their planned locations:

  1. Locate a position on the map where the Border Gateway can access a power supply and has internet connectivity.

  2. Move the Border Gateway icon to its deployment location. The app updates the planned GPS coordinates of the Border Gateway.

  3. Move the sensors to planned locations using the following guidelines:

    • Use a grid pattern with a distance of approximately 100 meters between sensors.
    • Place the first sensor with line of sight to the Border Gateway.
    • Continue placing the sensors in a grid consisting of rows of sensors, ensuring each device is approximately the same distance away from other sensors (for example, 100 m).
  4. Move the Mesh Gateway to a planned location using the following guidelines:

    • Ensure the Mesh Gateway is no more than 2-3 km from either a Border Gateway or other Mesh Gateways.
    • Locate a position on the map where the Mesh Gateway provides access to sensors within a radius of 1 km. Depending on the number of sensors, more than one Mesh Gateway may be required to provide adequate coverage.

    Moving devices to estimated final location

    Moving devices to estimated final location

  5. Verify the distances between devices by enlarging to full screen mode and select a device icon. Distances to three adjacent devices are shown.

    Verifying distances

    Verifying distances

Info

For detailed instructions, see Preparing Site Packets

Save the Packet

Finish up by saving the Packet:

  1. Save the new Packet by selecting Save.

  2. Return to the Packet dashboard by selecting Back.

Assign the Packet

Assign the completed Packet to a registered user who deploys the devices:

  1. From the Packet dashboard, select the Assign icon next to the new Packet.

  2. From the list of available users, select a user, then select Assign.

    Assign a Packet

    Assign a Packet

The Packet's devices are now ready to be deployed in the forest.

Deploy devices

The Deployment app on a Smartphone is used to deploy devices in the forest. Each device has a QR Code printed on a label which is attached on the back side of the device. This QR Code represents the device ID (serial number), which is also provided as a text string. When the QR Code is scanned in to the Deployment app, the device is synced with the Silvanet Cloud and the actual location of the device updates the planned location.

Warning

Always work in teams of two when entering a forest to deploy the devices.

Deploy the sensors

To deploy the sensors:

  1. Open the Dryad Deployment app on your smartphone. All Packets assigned to you are shown.

  2. Open the assigned Packet.

  3. Using the Dryad Deployment app, move towards the first sensor deployment location. Your location appears as a blue dot.

    Deploy sensors

    Deploy sensors

  4. When the ideal location is found, scan the QR Code of the sensor by selecting Install.

  5. You can add notes about the deployment location in the Notes field.

  6. Use the smartphone camera to photograph the Sensor ID label on the back of the device by selecting the camera icon.

  7. Save the changes by selecting Save. The sensor's ID and actual location are saved to the Silvanet Cloud.

    ID, GPS coordinates and photo of sensor

    ID, GPS coordinates and photo of sensor

  8. Find a location on the tree that is at least 3 meters above the forest floor and facing towards the sun at 12:00 noon.

  9. If required, clear a small area of bark so the sensor sits flat and horizontal.

  10. Attach the sensor to the tree using a tree nail (or crop wire) and spacer.

    Attached sensor using tree nail

    Attached sensor using tree nail

  11. Repeat the same procedure until all sensors have been deployed.

Info

For detailed instructions, see Deploying sensors.

Deploy the Border Gateway

To deploy the Border Gateway:

  1. Scan the QR Code of the Border Gateway using the same procedure described for sensors.

  2. Attach the Border Gateway and its solar panel to a tree or pole. Use tree nails, U-clamps or crop wire to attach the gateway and solar panel.

  3. Attach the antennas to the Border Gateway where the LoRa antenna on top, LTE-M antenna on bottom and SWARM satellite antenna on side.

Info

For detailed instructions, see Deploying Border Gateways.

Deploy the Mesh Gateways

To deploy the Mesh Gateways:

  1. Scan the QR Code of the Mesh Gateway using the same procedure described for sensors.

  2. Attach the Mesh Gateway to a tree or pole using tree nails or crop wire.

Info

For detailed instructions, see Deploying Mesh Gateways.

Test the deployment

Once the devices have been deployed, run a test to verify the deployment.

This test uses a controlled fire set in the middle of the sensors. The Silvanet System should respond to the smoke from the fire by sending Fire alerts to registered users via email and displayed in the Site Management app.

Info

For detailed instructions, see Testing Best Practices

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