LoRa - A Survey of Recent Research Trends

Nowadays the Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the most promising application areas in information technology for future products and services. Therefore, it is not surprising that new technologies arise, which are marketed as “the most useful technology” for applications in IoT devices. In this study, we focus on the new communication technology called LoRaWAN. Our aim is to evaluate the usefulness of LoRaWAN technology in the field of IoT, and especially in sensor network solutions. The research methodology is a literature survey and primary articles were selected by means of a systematic literature review. More than fifty suitable research papers were identified. From these, the following research questions were formulated: “How to categorize LoRa research papers?” and “What are the application trends in LoRa?” This study presents a way to categorize research papers with diverse themes. In addition, this survey reveals the most recent trends in research and practical applications of LoRa. Finally, this study will give recommendations for researchers and practitioners on how the advantages of LoRa-based technologies could be fully exploited in the development of IoT systems and solutions.