Radio Frequency Identification and Localization by Wearable LoRa for Search and Rescue in Mountains

Long-Range (LoRa) is a low-power wide-area (LPWA) technology which is nowadays the pillar of many IoT (internet of things) systems worldwide. Among the multiple applications that LoRa can enable, the search and rescue (SaR) in the harshest environments wherein standard radiofrequency technologies cannot establish communications is gaining attention. Wearable LoRa radios can significantly foster SaR operation so that the survival chances of the target person increase dramatically. After introducing the international research trend, this contribution reviews the advances in the particular case of the mountain SaR. The challenging case of mountain SaR operations was investigated, highlighting how the LoRa-based wireless localization can enable a new generation of SaR devices, significantly outperforming the current systems.