# Configuring the position of LoRaWAN devices
When you add your device to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN, you can specify the static position information, optionally activate positioning, and specify a destination. The destination describes the IoT rule that processes the device's position information and routes the updated position to Amazon Location Service. After you configure your device position, the position data is displayed on an Amazon Location map with the accuracy information, and the destination that you specified.
You can configure the position of your device using the AWS Management Console, the AWS IoT Wireless API, or the AWS CLI.
## Uplink message from AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN to rules engine
**Note**
If you activate positioning, you must specify the geolocation frame port for communicating the Wi-Fi and GNSS scan data from the device to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN. The position information is communicated to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN using this frame port.
The LoRaWAN specification provides a data delivery field (FRMPayload) and a Port field (FPort) to distinguish between different types of messages. To communicate the position information, you can specify a value anywhere between 1 and 223 for the frame port. FPort 0 is reserved for MAC messages, FPort 224 is reserved for MAC compliance testing, and ports 225-255 are reserved for future standardized application extensions.
### Uplink message from AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN to rules engine
You can subscribe to an MQTT topic to receive location data as it becomes available from your LoRaWAN device. This method allows you to process location data in real-time using AWS IoT rules.
1.
**Create a destination for location data**
Create a destination with an AWS IoT rule that processes location data. For information about creating destinations, see [Add destinations to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN](lorawan-create-destinations.md).
1.
**Subscribe to the MQTT topic**
Go to the AWS IoT console, then navigate to **Test** > the [MQTT test client](https://console.aws.amazon.com/iot/home#/test). Enter the topic name that you specified in your location destination rule (for example, *`project/sensor/location`*), and then choose **Subscribe**.
1.
**View location messages**
When your device sends location data, you'll see messages published to the topic. The following shows an example of a location message:
**Contents of deviceposition.json**
```
{
"WirelessDeviceId": "5b58245e-146c-4c30-9703-0ca942e3ff35",
"coordinates": [
33.33000183105469,
-22.219999313354492,
99.0
],
"type": "Point",
"properties": {
"measurementType": "GNSS" | "Wi-Fi",
"horizontalAccuracy": 34,
"verticalAccuracy": 18.5,
"timestamp": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"
},
//Parameters controlled by AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN
"WirelessMetadata":
{
"LoRaWAN":
{
"ADR": false,
"Bandwidth": 125,
"ClassB": false,
"CodeRate": "4/5",
"DataRate": "0",
"DevAddr": "00b96cd4",
"DevEui": "58a0cb000202c99",
"FOptLen": 2,
"FCnt": 1,
"Fport": 136,
"Frequency": "868100000",
"Gateways": [
{
"GatewayEui": "80029cfffe5cf1cc",
"Snr": -29,
"Rssi": 9.75
}
],
"MIC": "7255cb07",
"MType": "UnconfirmedDataUp",
"Major": "LoRaWANR1",
"Modulation": "LORA",
"PolarizationInversion": false,
"SpreadingFactor": 12,
"Timestamp": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"
}
}
}
```
**Note**
The coordinates (position information for a device in GeoJSON format) are ordered as `[longitude, latitude, altitude]`, and altitude is optional if vertical accuracy information is unavailable. Please see more details on [Resolved location metadata parameters](#lorawan-location-devices-metadata).
For WirelessMetadata, please refer to wireless device destination payload for regular uplink [Wireless device destination payload](lorawan-device-connection-status.md#lorawan-device-connection-payload).
## Configuring the position of your devices using the console
To configure and manage the position of your devices by using the AWS Management Console, first sign in to the console and then go to the [https://console.aws.amazon.com/iot/home#/wireless/devices](https://console.aws.amazon.com/iot/home#/wireless/devices) hub page of the AWS IoT console.
**Add position information**
To add position information for your device:
1. In the ** Devices** hub page, choose **Add wireless device**.
1. Enter the wireless device specification, device and service profiles, and the destination that defines the IoT rule for routing the data to other AWS services. For more information, see [Onboard your devices to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN](lorawan-onboard-end-devices.md).
1. Enter the position information, optionally activate geolocation, and specify a position data destination that you want to use for routing messages.
+
**Position information**
Specify the position data for your device using the latitude and longitude coordinates, and an optional altitude coordinate. The position information is based on the WGS84 coordinate system.
+
**Geolocation**
Activate positioning if you want AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN to use geolocation for computing the device position. It uses third-party GNSS and Wi-Fi solvers to identify the position of your device in real time.
To enter the geolocation information, choose **Activate positioning**, and enter the geolocation frame port for communicating the GNSS and Wi-Fi scan data to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN. You'll see default FPorts populated for your reference. However, you can choose a different value anywhere between 1 and 223.
+
**Position data destination**
Choose a destination to describe the AWS IoT rule that processes the device's position data and forwards it to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN. Use this destination only to route position data. It must be different from the destination that you use for routing device data to other AWS services.
**View device's position configuration**
After you've configured your device's position, AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN creates an Amazon Location map called `iotwireless.map`. You can see this map in the details page of your device on the **Position** tab. Based on the position coordinates that you specified or the position computed by the third-party solvers, the position of your device will be displayed as a marker on the map. You can zoom in or zoom out to clearly view the position of your device on the map. In the device's details page, on the **Position** tab, you'll also see the accuracy information, the timestamp at which your device's position was determined, and the position data destination that you specified.
**Note**
If you haven't activated Amazon Location Service maps, you'll see a message indicating that you'll have to use Amazon Location Service to access the map and view the position. Using Amazon Location Service maps may incur additional charges to your AWS account. For more information, see [AWS IoT Core pricing](https://aws.amazon.com/iot-core/pricing/).
The map, `iotwireless.map`, acts as a source of map data which is accessed using `Get` API operations, such as [https://docs.aws.amazon.com/location-maps/latest/APIReference/API_GetMapTile.html](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/location-maps/latest/APIReference/API_GetMapTile.html). For information about `Get` APIs used with maps, see [Amazon Location Service API reference](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/location-maps/latest/APIReference/Welcome.html).
To get additional details about this map, go to the Amazon Location Service console, choose **maps**, and then choose [iotwireless.map](https://console.aws.amazon.com/location/maps/home#/describe/iotwireless.map). For more information, see [Maps](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/location/latest/developerguide/map-concepts.html) in the *Amazon Location Service developer guide*.
**Update device's position configuration**
To change the device's position configuration, in the device details page, choose **Edit** and then update the position information, any geolocation settings, and the destination.
**Note**
Information about historical position data isn't available. When you update the device's position coordinates, it overwrites the previously reported position data. After you've updated the position, in the **Position** tab of the device details, you'll see the new position information. The change in timestamp indicates that it corresponds to the last known position of the device.
## Configure the position of your devices using API or CLI
You can specify the position information, configure the device position, and activate optional geolocation using the AWS IoT Wireless API or the AWS CLI.
**Important**
The API actions [ UpdatePosition](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_UpdatePosition.html), [GetPosition](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_GetPosition.html), [PutPositionConfiguration](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_PutPositionConfiguration.html), [GetPositionConfiguration](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_GetPositionConfiguration.html), and [ListPositionConfigurations](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_ListPositionConfigurations.html) are no longer supported. Calls to update and retrieve the position information should use the [GetResourcePosition](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_GetResourcePosition.html) and [UpdateResourcePosition](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_UpdateResourcePosition.html) API operations instead.
### Update position information
To update the position information for a given wireless device, specify the coordinates using the [ UpdateResourcePosition](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_UpdateResourcePosition.html) API operation or the [update-resource-position](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/iotwireless/update-resource-position.html) CLI command. Specify `WirelessDevice` as the `ResourceType`, the ID of the wireless device to be updated as the `ResourceIdentifier`, and the position information.
**Sample of the UpdateResourcePosition API operation**
```
PATCH /resource-positions/ResourceIdentifier?resourceType=WirelessDevice HTTP/1.1
{
"coordinates": [
33.33,
-22.22,
11.11
],
"type": "Point"
}
```
**Sample of the update-resource-position CLI command**
```
echo '{"coordinates": [33.33, -22.22, 11.11], "type": "Point"}' > /tmp/position.json
aws iotwireless update-resource-position \
--resource-type WirelessDevice \
--resource-id "5b58245e-146c-4c30-9703-0ca942e3ff35" \
--geo-json-payload fileb:///tmp/position.json
```
The following shows the contents of the `deviceposition.json` file, which is the uplink message from AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN to rules engine To specify the FPort values for sending the geolocation data, use the [Positioning](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_Positioning.html) object with the [CreateWirelessDevice](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_CreateWirelessDevice.html) and [UpdateWirelessDevice](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_UpdateWirelessDevice.html) API operations.
**Contents of deviceposition.json**
```
{
"coordinates": [
33.33,
-22.22,
11.11
],
"WirelessDeviceId": "5b58245e-146c-4c30-9703-0ca942e3ff35",
"type": "Point",
"properties": {
"measurementType": "UserInput",
"verticalAccuracy": 0,
"horizontalAccuracy": 0,
"timestamp": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"
}
}
```
**Note**
This command returns no response body (`204 No Content`), so the `update-resource-position-api-response.json` file will be empty. To verify the updated position, use the `GetResourcePosition` API operation.
### Get position information
To get the position information for a given wireless device, use the [ GetResourcePosition](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/apireference/API_GetResourcePosition.html) API or the [get-resource-position](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/iotwireless/get-resource-position.html) CLI command. Specify `WirelessDevice` as the `resourceType` and provide the ID of the wireless device as the `resourceIdentifier`.
**Sample of the GetResourcePosition API operation**
```
GET /resource-positions/ResourceIdentifier?resourceType=WirelessDevice HTTP/1.1
```
**Sample of the get-resource-position CLI command**
```
aws iotwireless get-resource-position \
--resource-type WirelessDevice \
--resource-id "5b58245e-146c-4c30-9703-0ca942e3ff35"
/dev/stdout
```
**Note**
This command returns the position information of your wireless device as a GeoJSON payload (`200 OK`). The contents of the `get-resource-position-api-response.json` file includes the position coordinates, geolocation type, and properties such as measurement type, accuracy, and the timestamp when the device position was resolved. The wireless device ID is not included in the API response.
**Contents of get-resource-position-api-response.json**
```
{
"coordinates": [
33.33,
-22.22,
11.11
],
"type": "Point",
"properties": {
"measurementType": "GNSS" | "Wi-Fi" | "UserInput",
"horizontalAccuracy": number,
"verticalAccuracy": number,
"timestamp": "Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2026"
}
}
```
## Resolved location metadata parameters
The following table shows a definition of the different parameters in the resolved location metadata. The `wirelessDeviceId` is the ID of the wireless device, such as `5b58245e-146c-4c30-9703-0ca942e3ff35` and the `measurementType` is the positioning method used to calculate the location.
**LoRaWAN resolved location metadata parameters**
| Parameter | Description | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| coordinates | The resolved coordinates of the LoRaWAN device. Coordinates are ordered as `[longitude, latitude, altitude]`. | String |
| wirelessDeviceId | The identifier of the wireless device that sends the location uplink data | String |
| type | GeoJSON type. Currently supports the `"Point"` type. | String |
| measurementType | The measurement type for resolved location metadata. For LoRaWAN devices, the supported values are `"GNSS"` and `"Wi-Fi"`. If triggered by update-resource-position API or CLI, it would be `"UserInput"`. | String |
| horizontalAccuracy | The horizontal accuracy of the resolved position, in meters. | Number |
| verticalAccuracy | The vertical accuracy of the resolved position, in meters. | Number |
| timestamp | The timestamp when the LoRaWAN device location was resolved. | Timestamp |