LRF1222C 12 km 1535 nm Eye-Safe Laser Rangefinder Module for Border Surveillance, Vehicle Turrets and Shipborne EO/IR

Product Description

The LRF1222C is a high-energy 1535 nm eye-safe laser rangefinder module developed for long-range observation and fire-control style applications such as border surveillance towers, vehicle turrets, shipborne EO/IR systems and coastal security cameras. Operating at an eye-safe wavelength of 1.54 μm ±0.02 μm and certified as Class 1, it offers long-range performance with reduced risk to operators and bystanders.

With a narrow ≤0.3 mrad divergence beam and ≥300 μJ pulse energy, combined with a Φ16.5 mm launch lens and Φ40 mm receiver lens, the LRF1222C achieves a measuring range of ≥12 km on NATO targets (2.3 m × 2.3 m, 30% reflectivity, visibility ≥12 km) while maintaining a minimum range ≤40 m. Ranging accuracy is specified as ±2 m, with ≤0.1 m resolution, ≥98% precision rate and ≤1‰ false alarm rate, giving system designers predictable, quantitative performance for long standoff distances.

The module supports multi-target detection (up to three targets in one measurement) and provides a configurable measuring frequency from 0.5 Hz to 10 Hz, so integrators can trade update rate for signal strength depending on mission profile. Electrical supply is DC 12 V, with standby power ≤1.2 W, average power ≤2 W and peak power ≤3 W at 10 Hz, making the unit suitable for 24 V / 12 V vehicle and ship power systems through standard DC/DC conversion. The typical weight is ≤335 g with mechanical dimensions of Φ58 × 134 mm, which fits well into stabilized gimbals and optical pods.

For system interfaces, the LRF1222C offers a choice of TTL or RS422 serial communication. A Molex 51021-0500 5-pin connector provides 3.3 V TTL RX/TX, CTRL (3.3–5 V power-enable), +12 V and GND, while the J30J 9-pin option gives fully differential RS422 RX± / TX± plus 12 V input and grounds. The communication format is 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity, 115200 bps, with a master–slave protocol where the host sends commands and the rangefinder returns measurement results and internal status.

Command frames begin with 0x55 followed by a command word, data length, two parameter bytes and an XOR checksum. Standard commands include standby, single ranging, continuous ranging, self-test, nearest-distance setting, cumulative shot count, APD power on/off and serial number query. Response frames carry not only distance values (first, second and third target in 0.1 m units) but also a status byte that reports APD temperature, APD high voltage, ±5 V rails, blind zone value, laser status, APD status and timeout alarms—useful for health monitoring and remote diagnostics.

Environmentally, the LRF1222C is designed for harsh outdoor conditions. The operating temperature range is −40 °C to +70 °C, storage −55 °C to +75 °C, and both impact and vibration resistance meet MIL-STD-810G requirements. For integration behind external windows, ERDI recommends an anti-reflective (AR) coating optimised for 1525–1545 nm with transmittance ≥99%, and an overall window assembly (including hydrophobic or hard coatings) maintaining ≥97% transmittance and complying with MIL-STD-810G. The optical window thickness should typically be 2–4 mm, the emission optical axis aligned within 2°–4° of the window normal and the air gap minimised, while ensuring the effective aperture is at least 2 mm smaller than the outer diameter and the antenna projection exceeds the effective aperture by ≥1.5 mm.

Daily maintenance guidelines highlight the influence of fog, rain, water mist and very low target reflectivity on performance, and recommend avoiding strongly oblique angles or glass-like targets when verifying maximum range. Under extreme low-temperature conditions, performance may decrease slightly; these behaviours are normal for high-energy eye-safe lasers and are accounted for in ERDI’s design margins.

By combining 12 km NATO-class range, 1535 nm Class 1 eye safety, ±2 m accuracy, multi-target capability, 12 V supply, optional TTL/RS422 interfaces and MIL-STD-810G environmental robustness, the LRF1222C is well suited as the core rangefinder for border and coastal surveillance systems, vehicle and ship EO/IR turrets, long-range observation pods and high-end security monitoring platforms.