Design and Implementation of an IoT-Enabled Smart Navigation Buoy System with Energy-Aware Mesh Communication
Maritime navigation is the process of determining and organizing routes at sea (or on rivers) to ensure maritime safety, traffic coordination, and protection of the marine environment. This paper presents the development of a waterway navigation buoy system integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) technology. The proposed solution is a GPS-equipped buoy designed to provide 24/7 online monitoring of its status through embedded sensors and wireless communication modules. With this system, the management unit no longer needs to manually inspect each buoy or signal; instead, it can directly monitor operating conditions via a web-based platform. The system can detect various issues such as buoy displacement, signal loss, insufficient light intensity, weak power supply, and improper flashing mode. Test results demonstrate that the system significantly improves efficiency in terms of time, operating costs, operation, and maintenance, while contributing to the digital transformation of inland waterway traffic management.