Turning an AI Camera into a LoRa® Sensor

Retrofitting existing systems means upgrading or enhancing already deployed equipment with new technologies - without having to replace or redesign everything from scratch.

The Axis Q3536-LVE camera featuring a deep learning processing unit provides processing capabilities to collect and analyze even more data than before - on the edge. The outstanding AXIS Object Analytics offers detection and classification of humans, vehicles, and types of vehicles.

To reduce the bandwidth consumption and respects privacy regulations no video stream is sent, only counting information. The gathered data can be now transmitted for further processing.

But what happens when this setup needs to operate in areas without stable connectivity - rural roads, temporary work zones, or smart city outposts? That’s where retrofitting with LoRa® becomes a game changer.

By combining long-range, low-power LoRa® radio links with a robust network server like Actility, you gain reliable bi-directional communication over several kilometres.

Our partner Griot Conseil connected the camera to a Raspberry Pi running a local MQTT broker. Using the iU891A-XL LoRa® USB stick, this data can be transmitted securely and over long distances - without relying on 4G or Wi-Fi.

This scalable architecture ingests LoRaWAN® transmissions, processes them via the LoRaWAN® and LNS, and delivers them to an intuitive visualization platform complete with live dashboards and customizable analytics. It’s efficient, user-friendly, and eliminates the need for bespoke software development - empowering teams to turn raw telemetry into actionable insights at the push of a button.

This always-on configuration turns the iU891A-XL USB stick and Raspberry Pi into a real-time control gateway - perfect for instant management of devices in the field, such as rebooting the camera, triggering remote recordings, resetting counters, and more. By leveraging Actility as the LoRaWAN® Network Server, you benefit from reliable network management and scalability. It’s efficient, secure, and removes the need for complex infrastructure or manual intervention. With simple USB plug-and-play, the iU891A-XL enables effortless integration - and this same setup can be replicated to remotely pilot any API-driven equipment, as long as the device can respond to API requests generated by the Raspberry Pi.

This simple architecture turns a standard camera into a LoRa®-based sensor, ideal for locations with limited connectivity. It’s lightweight, scalable, and doesn’t require rebuilding existing infrastructure. The iU891A-XL makes integration effortless with its USB connectivity.