Felix Brühl

Earlier flood detection with radar and NB-IoT

Municipalities need reliable real-time data during heavy rain and flooding in order to identify critical developments earlier and respond more quickly. That is exactly what this podcast episode with Felix Brühl from Endress+Hauser is about. The focus is on autonomous water level and soil moisture sensors that must operate reliably even at remote measuring points without a power supply. The episode shows which requirements matter in practice: long battery life, stable data transmission despite fluctuating network coverage, and valid measured values even in cases of frost, vegetation growth, vandalism, or changes in sensor position. It also discusses how water level sensors work with event-based transmission intervals and why soil moisture and soil temperature provide important additional information for early warning. In addition, diagnostic data such as battery status, tilt angle, and sensor status play an important role in ensuring measurement quality over the long term. The episode also looks at how the data is integrated into existing system environments, for example via APIs, webhooks, or OPC UA, and at what municipalities and operators of critical infrastructure should consider when selecting, operating, and scaling such solutions.