Sensor types

The type of sensor determines which parameters it monitors in the system. Let’s take a closer look at the different types of sensors available in PILOT and how they are used.

When adding a sensor, first select its function. The type is assigned automatically, but you can change it if needed.

Function

A dropdown list for selecting the sensor by function.

Sensor type

Types of sensors by operation principle

Text sensors

Display the device status in words.

For example, instead of technical codes, a lock sensor will show messages like: “Lock open”, “Lock closed”.

Discrete sensors

Transmit raw data exactly as received from the device. To get precise values, this data can be transformed using calibration tables or formulas.

For discrete sensors, you can enable alerts. When the sensor state changes, the system will send email or SMS notifications.

Pulse sensors

Count the number of pulses between readings.

Example: An engine hour sensor counts pulses to calculate the total operating time of equipment.

Two-position sensors

Capture two states of an object: on/off or open/closed.

The system determines the state based on a value range: if the reading falls between the defined minimum and maximum, the sensor is “on”; otherwise, it is “off.”

Discrete integral sensors

Work like discrete sensors but also accumulate values over time.

Example: A sensor can count the total number of events — such as how many times the engine started or doors were opened during a shift.

Pulse integral sensors

Similar to pulse sensors, but with accumulation of the total pulse count.

Example: These sensors can record the total engine runtime for a month or the vehicle’s cumulative mileage for a quarter.

Inverse two-position sensors

Work like two-position sensors but display states in reverse.

Example: A sensor triggers an alarm if a door is opened without permission. A regular sensor might fail due to wiring specifics, but an inverse sensor “flips” the signal: door open → shows closed; door closed → shows open. This ensures the alarm is always triggered.

Multi-position sensors

Used to register values that can take multiple states. Values are interpreted using a calibration table.

Examples: temperature, humidity, or pressure sensors.

Composite sensors

Combine data from several sensors.

Example: combining fuel sensor and engine hour sensor data to calculate fuel consumption per hour.

Special sensors

Designed for specialized data collection.

Examples: RFID sensors to identify objects or people, GPS sensors to track location, CAN bus sensors to gather vehicle data, or people counters to monitor visitor numbers in a building.

Sensor table

Sensor function	Type	Description
Ignition sensor	Two-position	Used to monitor engine operation and working hours. Shows 1 when engine is on, 0 when off
Fuel sensor	Discrete	Monitors the fuel level in the tank. The sensor has configurable refuel threshold and drain threshold: Refuel threshold — the minimum amount of fuel that counts as a valid refuel. Drain threshold — the minimum amount of fuel that can be recorded as a drain. In the fuel sensor settings, you can also specify the maximum speed for filling detection (km/h). If the vehicle is moving faster than this value, changes in fuel level will not be considered a refuel or drain. This helps prevent false records caused by fuel sloshing or driving uphill/downhill. A value of 0 disables this filter. The sensor also includes the Remove symmetric fillings/drain option. It excludes events where refuel and drain volumes are nearly identical. For example, if the sensor briefly detects a change in fuel level due to road slope or a technical glitch, the system will discard these records to avoid distorting real fuel consumption statistics. Enable the Active option to turn on or off monitoring of fuel refuels and drains. When this option is active, the sensor records all changes in fuel level
Equipment sensor	Two-position	Captures equipment start/stop. Shows 1 when on, 0 when off
Battery charge sensor	Discrete	Tracks battery condition and charge level
GPS antenna sensor	Two-position	Detects presence/absence of GPS signal. Shows 1 when signal is present, 0 when absent
Temperature sensor	Discrete	Monitors cargo or ambient temperature. Requires min/max thresholds to be set
SOS Button	Two-position	Marks messages as alarms when pressed. Requires threshold settings
Engine block status	Two-position	Shows whether the engine lock mechanism is enabled or disabled
CAN Mileage	Discrete	Tracks vehicle mileage
Fluid volume sensor	Discrete	Monitors liquid level in a tank
People counter	Composite	Detects number and direction of passengers entering/exiting
Fuel consumption	Pulse	Measures the amount of fuel consumed using pulses. When a certain volume of fuel passes through the sensor, it sends an electrical signal. To correctly measure fuel consumption, you need to configure the Pulse per liter parameter. This parameter defines how many pulses the sensor generates when one liter of fuel passes through it.
iButton	Special	Reads iButton keys (small metal chip keys with unique IDs). Often used to identify drivers
Accelerometer	Discrete	Detects speed changes and movement direction, records acceleration on X, Y, Z axes, and identifies collisions
Fuel type	Multi-position	Used to monitor the consumption of multiple types of fuel, such as gas or gasoline. How this sensor detects refueling: 1. Refueling detection The sensor constantly monitors the fuel level and records readings. The system takes 5 consecutive fuel level measurements. It compares the difference between the first and last measurement. If the difference exceeds a specified value, the system considers it a refueling event. This value is set in the sensor settings. 2. Start of refueling When the system detects a refueling event, it analyzes the data from the past 20 minutes. It identifies the measurement point with the lowest fuel level during this period. This point is considered the start of refueling. 3. End of refueling The system determines that refueling has ended: If five consecutive measurements show the same fuel level, the vehicle has been refueled and is stationary. If the next measurement shows less fuel than the previous one, the vehicle refueled and started moving. If the signal is lost for an hour, the system assumes the vehicle’s power was turned off, for example, the ignition was switched off, which may also indicate the end of refueling. Fuel draining is determined similarly to refueling, but instead of an increase in fuel level, the system detects a sudden decrease. The system detects refueling or draining by comparing fuel levels at multiple points. If data is received too frequently, increase the number of points in the sensor settings to avoid false triggers. If data is received too infrequently, decrease the number of points
Rotation speed	Discrete	Measures rotations of engines or mechanisms. Output in RPM
Engine hour sensor	Discrete	Counts pulses between readings to track equipment operation time
Loading/unloading sensor	Two-position	Tracks material loading/unloading in construction machinery
RFID reader	Special	Used for reading RFID tags and identifying objects or users. An RFID tag is an electronic label or chip that stores a unique code to identify an object or person. It functions as a contactless electronic pass (RFID).
Humidity sensor	Discrete	Used for monitoring humidity levels, for example, in refrigeration units, warehouses, and other locations where maintaining the proper humidity is important. It displays either a single value, e.g., 60%, or an allowable range, e.g., normal range 40–60%.
Weight sensor	Discrete	Measures vehicle load
Lock	Text	Sends unlock password. After triggering, a new menu item “Open Lock” appears in the object menu
Sleep sensor	Two-position	Sends a signal when the device switches to sleep mode. After the last message, data transmission stops
Security sensor	Two-position	Detects intrusion (e.g., door/window opening). States: on/off
Battery connection	Two-position	Detects whether a battery is connected