What is Off-Grid Mode?
Off-grid mode lets you use Flaresat's full mapping and communication features with no internet connection, no cell service, and no Wi-Fi — in places where normal communication infrastructure doesn't exist or has failed.
How it works
Off-grid groups use Meshtastic — an open-source LoRa radio mesh networking project. Each person in your team connects a small Meshtastic device to their phone via Bluetooth. Those devices talk to each other over LoRa radio waves, forming a mesh network that can span miles.
When you drop a pin or send a message in an off-grid group:
- Flaresat encodes the data into a compact binary format
- Sends it to your Meshtastic device over Bluetooth
- The device broadcasts it over LoRa radio
- Nearby devices in the mesh receive and relay it (mesh = automatic repeating)
- Teammates' Meshtastic devices receive the signal and pass it to their phones via Bluetooth
- Their Flaresat apps decode it and update the map
The result: everyone's maps and chat stay in sync with zero internet.
Range
LoRa radio range depends heavily on terrain and obstructions:
| Environment | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Open field / flat terrain | 5–15 km (3–10 miles) |
| Rolling hills / light forest | 2–5 km |
| Dense forest / urban canyon | 0.5–2 km |
| Building to building (urban) | 100–500 m |
In a mesh, devices relay packets between nodes automatically — so total coverage can be much larger than the range between any two devices.
When to use off-grid mode
- Search and rescue operations in remote areas
- Hiking or backcountry expeditions
- Disaster response when infrastructure is down
- Events in areas with poor cell coverage
- Military or security operations requiring RF-only comms
- Any situation where you want communications that don't depend on third-party infrastructure
What you need
- A Meshtastic-compatible LoRa device for each person in your team
- The Meshtastic firmware flashed on each device
- Bluetooth enabled on your phone
Popular Meshtastic hardware:
Off-grid vs cloud groups — key differences
| Feature | Cloud Group | Off-Grid Group |
|---|---|---|
| Internet required | Yes | No |
| Real-time sync | Yes | Yes (via mesh) |
| Map pins, routes, areas | Yes | Yes |
| Text chat | Yes | Yes |
| Voice notes | Yes | No |
| Live location sharing | Yes | Yes (throttled) |
| Push notifications | Yes | No |
| Cloud backup | N/A | Optional |
| Range | Unlimited (via internet) | Limited by radio range |