Loko GPS Tracker — Setup Guide
Configure your Loko Air & Ground units from scratch. Full setup takes about 15 minutes.
Overview
Loko is a compact GPS tracker for drones. Two units work together: Loko Air (airborne) acquires GPS and transmits via LoRa radio; Loko Ground (base station) receives data and forwards it to the Loko mobile app over Bluetooth.
GPS + LoRa transmitter — mounts on aircraft
- Li-ion 200 mAh
- 13 g
- Up to 1 year battery life
- USB Type-C charging
LoRa receiver + Bluetooth relay — stays on ground
- 18650 Li-ion (user-supplied)
- Not included in box
Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
radio | LoRa / CHIRP — penetrates buildings, urban clutter, dense forest |
frequency | 868–920 MHz (configurable) |
tx_power | 8 dBm default (configurable) |
gnss | GPS + GLONASS + Galileo |
range | +20 km line-of-sight at 2 m AGL; grows with altitude |
battery_life | Up to 1 year (depends on wake interval) |
weight | 15 g (Air unit) |
charge | 5V USB Type-C only |
temperature | 0 °C – 40 °C operating |
Use the battery life calculator to estimate run time for your wake interval.
How It Works
Each wake cycle the Air unit wakes, acquires a GPS fix, transmits coordinates to the Ground unit, then sleeps until the next cycle. If no satellite fix is available, last known coordinates are transmitted. The GPS track log is also written to internal flash and can be downloaded via USB.
Multiple Air units can pair to a single Ground unit simultaneously.
Part 1 — Configure Loko Air
No software to install. Use the web configurator in a Chromium-based browser.
1.1 Open configurator
- Open Chrome or Edge.
- Go to nolilab.com/loko-config-tool/
1.2 Connect
- Connect Loko Air to the computer via USB Type-C.
- Click Connect on the Configuration tab.
- Grant browser serial access when prompted → select the correct port.
1.3 Set parameters → Save Changes
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
transmit_mode | P2P for direct Air↔Ground (standard). LoRaWAN for network-server integrations. |
frequency | 868–920 MHz. Must match Ground unit exactly. |
id1 | 2-digit pairing code. Must match on both Air and Ground units. |
id2 | 2-digit Ground unit identifier. Must match Ground unit setting. |
wake_up_period | How often the Air unit wakes. Units: s / min / h. Shorter = faster battery drain. |
send_mult | Transmit on every Nth wake cycle (1 = every cycle, 0 = disable). |
save_mult | Log GNSS trace every Nth wake cycle (0 = disable logging). |
gnss_mode | Movement profile: Normal | Fitness | Aviation | Balloon | Stationary. Default: Normal. Use Aviation or Balloon for drones. |
tx_power | Radio output in dBm. Higher = more range, more battery drain. Default: 8 dBm. |
p2p_encryption | Optional. 64-char HEX key (32 bytes) for AES-256. Must match Ground unit if enabled. |
1.4 Power on
- Disconnect USB.
- Hold power button until LED blinks red → unit is active.
Part 2 — Configure Loko Ground
Loko Ground has no built-in battery. Before connecting, unscrew the four rear fasteners, insert an 18650 Li-ion cell (not included), and reassemble.
2.1 Open configurator → Ground Unit tab
- Go to nolilab.com/loko-config-tool/ in Chrome or Edge.
- Click the Ground Unit tab.
2.2 Connect
- Connect Loko Ground to the computer via USB.
- Click Connect → grant serial access → select port.
2.3 Read → update → Send
- Click Read to load current settings.
- Set the parameters below to match the Air unit configuration.
- Click Send, then disconnect USB.
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
id2 | 2-digit identifier. Must match id2 set on the Air unit. |
frequency_hz | Frequency in Hz (e.g. 868000000). Must match Air unit exactly. |
p2p_key | Only if encryption is enabled on Air unit. Same 64-char HEX key. |
2.4 Power on and pair
- Hold power button until LED is solid blue → ready to pair.
- Open Loko app → grant Bluetooth permissions → Settings → select Ground unit.
- Return to main screen. Wait for GPS fix. Location appears on map.
Warnings
Not waterproof. Keep away from liquids. Always cap the USB port on the Air unit.
Do not expose to open flame or extreme heat.
Operate within 0 °C – 40 °C only.
Charge at 5V only. Higher voltages will destroy the device.
Do not enclose in metal. Keep away from strong EM sources.
Mount antenna pointing upward, as high from the ground as possible.
Keep the antenna tip away from children's and animals' eyes.