In a large park, connecting to dozens of irrigation devices one by one is slow and error-prone. Phone control exists to remove that: open the valve from where you are, send the schedule from where you are. ESTRON does it over two channels; they complement each other.
Phone irrigation control works over two channels
| On site: Bluetooth | Remote: LoRaWAN | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | Within 10 m of the valve | Gateway coverage: up to 2 km in town, 10 km in the open |
| Internet | Not needed | Needed on the phone; the gateway is online |
| What you can do | Open/close the valve, load a schedule, sync the clock, read battery and status | Open/close the valve, send schedules, see decisions and alarms, reports |
| How many devices | The one beside you; all of them in turn with the queue | Hundreds of valves at once |
| Version | ESTRON BLE and BLE-LoRa | BLE-LoRa only |
Even a single valve outside gateway coverage is managed on site over Bluetooth. The version difference: two versions, by connection. The remote route for scattered sites: how does remote irrigation control work?
Screen flow: opening a valve from the phone
- Site list. The app opens; areas and lines are listed. Each line's state is shown next to it.
- Select the line. Tap the line. Valve state, last run, battery level and today's decision appear.
- Command. Choose the open command and a duration, or edit the schedule. On site the command goes over Bluetooth at once. Remotely it travels over LoRaWAN through the gateway.
- Confirmation. The device reports that it applied the command; the state updates on screen. A command that could not be delivered stays in the queue and is retried.
- Record. A manual opening is logged too: date, time and duration.
The same screens exist in the web panel. Panel and app features: mobile app. The summary: remote control.
How does the task queue work?
The ESTRON app connects to devices over a short-range Bluetooth link. First you add the work you want done to a task queue; for example, which irrigation program should go to which device. Then you start walking the site.
When you come close to a device, the app recognises it on its own, sends the command meant for that device, and you can move on to the next one without doing anything. There is no need to pick a device from a menu and connect to it each time.
What you gain
- Time savings — you configure every device in a single walk-through.
- Fewer mistakes — because commands are prepared in advance, the confusion of adjusting devices by hand disappears.
- No internet needed — the connection is made directly between your phone and the device, so it works even where there is no signal.
- Always the right time — at every connection the device's clock is updated from your phone, so irrigation programs run exactly when they should.
When there are many devices
On large projects with hundreds of devices, connecting to each one individually is impractical. The sequential task queue is designed exactly for this: the operator walks the site once from start to finish, and each device is configured in turn. Installation, maintenance and bulk updates all take far less time as a result.
What happens without internet?
No signal on your phone does not affect Bluetooth; the link is between the phone and the device. If the gateway loses its internet connection, remote commands cannot be sent; but the devices do not stop. The schedule sits in the controller's memory; the last schedule keeps running. When the connection returns, the records are uploaded to the panel. See irrigation keeps running even without internet.
The phone also finds a faulty valve on site: you approach on the map, and Bluetooth signal strength guides the last few metres. See the shortcut to a faulty solenoid valve.
Secure and reliable
The connection to each device is encrypted and the commands sent are protected. If a command fails to arrive for any reason, the app notices and retries automatically. So when you leave the site, you can be sure every device received the right settings.
Frequently asked
From how far can I open a valve with the phone?
Within 10 m over Bluetooth. Over LoRaWAN distance does not matter; the valve only has to be within gateway coverage.
Can several people manage the same site?
Yes. Access is role based; everyone sees their own area.
Which phones does it run on?
iOS 14 and later, Android 7 and later. Other questions are on the FAQ page.