Outdoor Localization and Distance Estimation Based on Dynamic RSSI Measurements in LoRa Networks: Application to Cattle Rustling Prevention

In this paper, we propose an RSSI-based distance estimation scheme for localization of cattle collars communicating with long-range LoRa radios. Cattle localization is designed to prevent theft in livestock. The proposed solution decreases the cost of cattle localization by minimizing the number of collars with GPS and allows accurate localization of collars without GPS. We propose an RSSI-based distance estimation using real-time adjustment of RSSI-distance mapping, taking advantage of communication between collar nodes and gateway. Log-distance path-loss model is also used as a rescue when the map does not provide accurate correspondence. Experimentation results show the validity of the approach with highly accurate localization of non-GPS collars.