Dragino RS485-NB NB-IoT RS485/UART Converter

The Dragino RS485-NB is an NB-IoT converter node that connects classic field sensors to modern IoT platforms using RS485 (including Modbus) or UART. Instead of replacing proven industrial instruments with new wireless models, you can keep what’s already installed: RS485-NB reads measurements based on your configured rules (periodic polling or event-driven triggers) and sends the data over NB-IoT to your server or cloud platform.

It’s designed to be flexible in real deployments. Alongside the RS485 interface, it supports UART sensors at 3.3 V or 5 V and an interrupt/digital I/O for immediate event messages (contacts, pulses, alarms). Powering sensors is also built in: RS485-NB provides both 3.3 V and 5 V outputs, and both are controllable, letting you switch external sensors on only when you need to read them—an important advantage for battery-powered projects.

For backend integration, the device supports multiple uplink transports: MQTT, MQTTS, TCP, and UDP. Commissioning and maintenance are field-friendly with BLE 5.1 configuration and OTA firmware updates, and parameters can be changed remotely via downlink. It can also handle multiple RS485 devices via flexible rules and reduce traffic by combining readings (multiple sampling, one uplink).

Common industries and real-world use cases:

Industrial monitoring & automation: Bringing Modbus sensors (pressure, flow, level, energy meters) into IoT dashboards.

Building services: Modbus meters, HVAC plant rooms, pumps, differential pressure, equipment status reporting.

Water & utilities: Pump stations, level/flow instruments, water quality transmitters with RS485 output.

Agriculture: Irrigation controllers, RS485 weather/soil stations, pump status, pulse counters.

Remote assets: Shafts, containers, and off-grid sites where NB-IoT backhaul is convenient.