Performance Analysis of LoRa CSS Communication in Dense Foliage Environments

Communication in forest and dense foliage environments is challenging because vegetation obstructs the Fresnel zone, increases multipath propagation, and attenuates radiofrequency signals through leaves, trunks, and moisture. This paper evaluates the performance of LoRa Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) communication in a dense foliage scenario using Heltec V3 modules with Meshtastic firmware at 915 MHz. Field measurements were conducted under a line-of-sight baseline and under non-line-of-sight foliage obstruction, comparing 2 dBi and 5 dBi antennas when available. The analysis considers RSSI, SNR, and Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR). The results show that the LongSlow Meshtastic profile maintains connectivity under strong attenuation, with the 5 dBi antenna achieving 100% PDR at 220 m in dense foliage despite an average RSSI of -121.70 dBm and SNR of -6.58 dB.