---
title: Telemetry & Sensors
parent: User Guide
nav_order: 9
last_updated: 2026-05-13
description: Sensor data on the mesh — supported environment, air quality, and power sensors, plus configuration and viewing guides.
aliases:
  - sensors
  - environment
  - weather
  - power-metrics
---

# Telemetry & Sensors

Meshtastic nodes can collect and share sensor data across the mesh network.

## Overview

Telemetry allows nodes equipped with sensors to broadcast environmental, power, and device health information. This data is visible on the node detail screen and can be logged over time.

## Device Telemetry

All Meshtastic nodes report basic device telemetry:

| Metric | Description | Typical Range |
|--------|-------------|---------------|
| Battery Level | Charge percentage | 0–100% |
| Voltage | Battery voltage | 3.0–4.2V (LiPo) |
| Channel Utilization | % of airtime used locally | 0–100% |
| Air Utilization TX | % of airtime used by this node | 0–100% |
| Uptime | Seconds since last boot | Varies |

## Environment Sensors

Supported environmental sensors:

### Temperature & Humidity

| Sensor | Temperature | Humidity | Pressure | Notes |
|--------|-------------|----------|----------|-------|
| BME280 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Recommended all-in-one |
| BME680 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Adds gas resistance/IAQ |
| SHT31 | ✓ | ✓ | — | High accuracy |
| MCP9808 | ✓ | — | — | Precision temperature |
| LPS22 | — | — | ✓ | Pressure only |

### Air Quality

| Sensor | Metric | Notes |
|--------|--------|-------|
| BME680 | Gas Resistance / IAQ | Volatile organic compounds |
| PMSA003I | PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10 | Particulate matter |
| SEN55 | PM, NOx, VOC, Temp, Humidity | Multi-sensor |

### Light & UV

| Sensor | Metric |
|--------|--------|
| OPT3001 | Ambient light (lux) |
| VEML7700 | Ambient light (lux) |
| LTR390 | UV index |

## Power Metrics

Nodes with INA-series power sensors can report:

| Metric | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| Bus Voltage | Supply rail voltage |
| Current | Power consumption (mA) |
| Power | Calculated power (mW) |

Useful for monitoring solar charging or battery health on remote nodes.

## Configuring Telemetry

1. Navigate to **Settings → Module Config → Telemetry**.
2. Set reporting intervals:
   - **Device Metrics Interval** — how often to broadcast device metrics
   - **Environment Metrics Interval** — how often to broadcast sensor data
3. Enable specific sensor types as needed.

### Recommended Intervals

| Use Case | Device (s) | Environment (s) |
|----------|-----------|-----------------|
| Urban mesh (many nodes) | 3600 | 3600 |
| Rural mesh (few nodes) | 900 | 900 |
| Weather station | 900 | 300 |
| Battery conservation | 7200 | 7200 |

> ⚠️ **Note:** Shorter intervals increase airtime usage and battery drain across the mesh.

## Air Quality Metrics

Nodes with particulate matter or CO₂ sensors report air quality data:

| Metric | Unit | Description |
|--------|------|-------------|
| PM1.0 | µg/m³ | Ultrafine particulate matter |
| PM2.5 | µg/m³ | Fine particulate matter |
| PM10 | µg/m³ | Coarse particulate matter |
| CO₂ | ppm | Carbon dioxide concentration |

The CO₂ reading is color-coded by severity:
- 🟢 **Good** (< 1000 ppm) — normal indoor levels
- 🟡 **Moderate** (1000–2000 ppm) — elevated, consider ventilation
- 🟠 **Poor** (2000–5000 ppm) — drowsiness, poor concentration
- 🔴 **Hazardous** (≥ 5000 ppm) — immediate health concern

Air quality data can be viewed as info cards on the node detail screen, charted over time, and exported to CSV.

## Viewing Telemetry

1. Navigate to **Nodes** and select a node.
2. Telemetry sections show on the detail screen:
   - Device Metrics (always available)
   - Environment Metrics (if sensors present)
   - Power Metrics (if INA sensor present)
   - Air Quality Metrics (if PM/CO₂ sensor present)
3. Historical graphs show trends over time.

![Telemetry actions](../../assets/screenshots/node-metrics_telemetric_actions.png)

## Troubleshooting

- **No environment data showing?** The remote node needs a physical sensor connected (e.g., BME280 on I2C). Device telemetry (battery, uptime) is always available, but environment metrics require hardware.
- **Stale readings?** Check the reporting interval — very long intervals (7200s+) mean data updates infrequently. Also verify the remote node is still online.
- **Sensor conflict on I2C bus?** Some sensors share I2C addresses. If you have multiple sensors on the same bus, check for address collisions in the radio's serial debug output.

## Related Topics

- [Node Metrics](node-metrics) — view telemetry data on the node detail screen
- [Settings — Modules & Admin](settings-module-admin) — telemetry module configuration
- [Units & Locale](units-and-locale) — temperature and pressure display units

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