Makerfabs ESP32-S3 Based NBIOT/LTE-M Air Monitor with Solar Charging is Designed for Remote Environmental Monitoring

Macakerfabs has recently introduced an Air Monitor with NBIOT and LTE-M named NBIOT/LTE-M Air Monitor, the module uses an ESP32-S3 with SIM7080G for remote environmental monitoring. The device can measure environmental parameters like temperature, humidity, CO2, TVOC, and light intensity sensors and can send data through a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN).

The most interesting thing about this is that this air monitor is powered by an internal 18650 lipo battery charged by a solar panel. It is designed to operate for extended periods with the solar panel to charge the battery and enter a low-power state.

Macakerfabs NBIOT/LTE-M – Air Monitor with NBIOT and LTE-M Specifications

• Controller: ESP32-S3-WROOM-1, PCB Antenna, 16MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM, ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N16R8
• Wireless: WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0 & LTE CAT-M1,LTE CAT-NB1/NB2
• Global used LTE CAT-M1 or LTE CAT-NB2
  • SIM7080G with uplink rate 589Kbps and downlink rate 1119Kbps in LTE CAT-M1
  • SIM7080G with uplink rate 136Kbps and downlink rate 150Kbps in LTE CAT-NB2
• GNSS Positioning: GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/Galileo
• MPPT: CN3791 solar maximum power tracking charging management
• BMS: DW06 over-charge, over-discharge protection
• Solar Power supply connector: 4.5~28V
• Humidity: 0~100%RH
• Temperature: -40~85℃
• CO2eq signal: 400~60000ppm
• TVOC signal: 0 to 60000 ppb
• Light intensity: 1 – 65535 lx
• 18650 battery socket
• Operation temperature: -40℃ to +85℃

Programming the device is easy but the company does not provide any USB or a connector for the programmer instead you get a header where you need to connect a USB-to-Serial converter to program the ESP32-S3 MCU.

Makerfabs mentions that the ESP32-S3 wireless module works with Arduino, making it easy to program. They also provide clear instructions on how to send emails directly from the air monitor and connect it to ThingSpeak, a cloud platform for IoT devices. You can find more details about the hardware, software, and firmware on their wiki and GitHub pages. In the same wiki page, you will get example charts in Thingspeak that visualize the data collected by the NBIOT/LTE-M Air Monitor.

If you’re interested in getting one, the NBIOT/LTE-M Air Monitor is available on the Makerfabs store for $68.80, plus shipping. You might also need the ESP32 Programmer board (USB2UART CH340K), which is sold separately for $3.90 in the same store.

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