A local luminaire area control system for outdoor lighting control, and comprising: a sensor element which includes a twist-lock photocontrol sensor connector and a twist-lock photocontrol receptacle connector to which the sensor connector is coupled, the sensor element having a base configured to be mounted to a light fixture, the sensor element having a sensor for sensing an environmental characteristic exterior of the sensor element and generating sensor data relating to the sensed environmental characteristic, the sensor element having a sensor element communication module configured for contactless communication of the sensor data; and a light fixture control circuit configured to be arranged in the light fixture, the light fixture control circuit having a light fixture communication module configured for communication with the sensor element communication module, the light fixture communication module receiving the sensor data, the light fixture control circuit receiving the sensor data from the light fixture communication module, characterised in that: (i) the sensor element communication module is also configured for contactless communication of identifying data relating to an identifying characteristic of the sensor element; (ii) the light fixture communication module is configured for contactless communication with the sensor element communication module; and (iii) the light fixture communication module is configured to receive the identifying data from the sensor element communication module, the light fixture control circuit having a verification module configured to receive the identifying data from the light fixture communication module to verify compatibility of the sensor element and the light fixture control circuit, to validate and verify that the sensor element is able to be used within the local luminaire area control system, and wherein the identifying characteristic is based on a type of sensing and a type of environmental characteristic configured to be sensed by the sensor element. a sensor element which includes a twist-lock photocontrol sensor connector and a twist-lock photocontrol receptacle connector to which the sensor connector is coupled, the sensor element having a base configured to be mounted to a light fixture, the sensor element having a sensor for sensing an environmental characteristic exterior of the sensor element and generating sensor data relating to the sensed environmental characteristic, the sensor element having a sensor element communication module configured for contactless communication of the sensor data; and a light fixture control circuit configured to be arranged in the light fixture, the light fixture control circuit having a light fixture communication module configured for communication with the sensor element communication module, the light fixture communication module receiving the sensor data, the light fixture control circuit receiving the sensor data from the light fixture communication module, characterised in that: (i) the sensor element communication module is also configured for contactless communication of identifying data relating to an identifying characteristic of the sensor element; (ii) the light fixture communication module is configured for contactless communication with the sensor element communication module; and (iii) the light fixture communication module is configured to receive the identifying data from the sensor element communication module, the light fixture control circuit having a verification module configured to receive the identifying data from the light fixture communication module to verify compatibility of the sensor element and the light fixture control circuit, to validate and verify that the sensor element is able to be used within the local luminaire area control system, and wherein the identifying characteristic is based on a type of sensing and a type of environmental characteristic configured to be sensed by the sensor element. (i) the sensor element communication module is also configured for contactless communication of identifying data relating to an identifying characteristic of the sensor element; (ii) the light fixture communication module is configured for contactless communication with the sensor element communication module; and (iii) the light fixture communication module is configured to receive the identifying data from the sensor element communication module, the light fixture control circuit having a verification module configured to receive the identifying data from the light fixture communication module to verify compatibility of the sensor element and the light fixture control circuit, to validate and verify that the sensor element is able to be used within the local luminaire area control system, and wherein the identifying characteristic is based on a type of sensing and a type of environmental characteristic configured to be sensed by the sensor element.