Skip to main content

IoT and Drupal - From idea to smart watering system

Mainstay - final product

 

- Can you make me an irrigation controller?

- Give me one week.

MAINSTAY V1

Mainstay - prototype

 

One week is enough to make a working controller. It was neither good nor nice but it worked.
But it turned out that ONE YEAR is required to work well.

The concept:

  • Custom hardware
  • Hardware level programmed microcontroller
  • Drupal for backend
    All users are stored in Drupal, registration process and password retrieving also.
    You can configure your device trough Drupal web interface. There are also master configuration and administration in Drupal.
    Every log is stored in Drupal database.
     
  • React native for applications
  • WebSocket for communication

You only know that’s works if you do it

The biggest difference between hardware and software development is that if something is wrong with the hardware then it smokes and burns, then stays electronic waste.
This is also the beauty of the thing.

Mainstay - probesand some smoke

Expectations:

We wanted to create a system that is compatible with existing valves and extremely user- friendly.
To do this, we created a controller that connects to the Internet via WiFi and its remotely accessed through the application, so we can control 16 valves with it.

In addition, we packed with extras that constantly monitor the proper operation of the device, automatically detect the valves and their exact connection, follow the exact time, automatically reset in case of power outages, offline operation, history log of the watering.

The moment when others believe that this will work

Mainstay - real motherboars

 

After seven months, the final version of the hardware was completed. From that moment we could really focus on the application.

Mainstay is ready for testing

Mainstay - Ready for testing

 

Finally, we chose a wooden box that merges perfectly with nature.

The Application

Mainstay - application

 

We've been looking for the most suitable technology for making the application.

We wanted to create a multi-platform application, but hybrid technologies did not reach our needs.

React Native proved to be a perfect choice. After a couple of months, we still think the same.

In action (left Android, right iOS)

Mainstay - application

Conclusion

Mainstay - in action

 

After a dozen of printed circuits, thousands of lines of code in firmware and mobile application, the irrigation controller is ready for the world.
We are very satisfied with the results because we managed to achieve the expectations and managed to create a product that will stand in the market.

What's still going to be, to optimize irrigation with fuzzy logic using local weather data and environmental sensors and a nice design for the application.

If you have some question, please do not hesitate to contact us!