LRF50H High-Speed 50 m LiDAR Distance Sensor for Overhead Cranes, Carriage Distance Control and Industrial Safety

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

(Note: 1. This parameter was measured at 25°C in an indoor environment.
2. This parameter was measured with a 90% reflector in an outdoor environment at 25°C.)

OUTLINE DIMENSION(mm)

PIN INTERFACE

No.	Definition / Wire Color	User Interface
1	9~36V (Red)	External Power +
2	GND (Black)	GND
3	GND (Yellow)	GND
4	TX (Green)	RX
5	RX (Blue)	TX

Product Description

The LRF50H is a mid-range, high-speed LiDAR distance sensor based on the Direct Time of Flight (DToF) principle. It is designed for demanding industrial applications such as overhead crane positioning, distance control between carriages, security and protection systems and inspection robots, where fast 50 m ranging and wide input voltage are required.

The module measures from 0.05 m to 50 m on 90% reflectivity targets and up to 15 m on 10% reflectivity surfaces, with a blind zone of 5 cm. Ranging accuracy is ±5 cm below 10 m and 1% of distance at 10 m and above (2σ), and repeatability is ±5 cm, giving stable, quantitative distance data for motion control and safety interlocks. The distance resolution is 1 cm, sufficient for crane trolley positioning, carriage connection control and robot approach monitoring.

A key feature of the LRF50H is its high measuring frequency from 20 Hz up to 10 kHz, with a default of 1 kHz, which allows very fast response in dynamic systems. At the default rate, the sensor streams distance frames over UART with a simple 4-byte format: a frame header 0x5C, two bytes of distance in centimetres (0–65 535 cm, with 65 535 cm indicating out-of-range) and a checksum byte that is the inverted sum of the second to the penultimate bytes. This high-rate output makes it easy to feed real-time distance information into PLCs, motion controllers and embedded processors.

To ensure reliable operation in bright environments, the LRF50H offers strong ambient light immunity, capable of measuring 45 m at 100 kLux on a 90% reflector in outdoor conditions. The emission wavelength is 905 nm, classified as photobiological safety Class 1, and the module includes a 650 nm red aiming light (Class 2) that can be switched on or off to assist mechanical alignment during installation; the indicator automatically turns off below −20 °C to protect the device.

Electrically, the LRF50H accepts a 9–36 V DC supply, making it easy to integrate into 12 V or 24 V industrial control cabinets. Peak current at 24 V is approximately 100 mA, average current about 34 mA, corresponding to an average power consumption around 0.8 W, which is low for a 50 m / 1 kHz LiDAR. Communication is via a UART interface with a default baud rate of 460 800 bps (adjustable). The 5-pin 1.25 mm harness provides power, dual grounds and TX/RX lines, and the open command set supports reading the serial number and software version, changing baud rate, configuring output frequency, and starting or stopping distance measurement.

Mechanically, the LRF50H is compact, with dimensions of 38 × 20 × 30 mm and a weight of 15±2 g, suitable for mounting on crane trolleys, carriage bodies, machine frames or inspection robots. The field of view is about 4 mrad, producing a light spot that grows from 0.4 cm at 1 m to 2 cm at 5 m, 4 cm at 10 m, 8 cm at 20 m and 20 cm at 50 m; in practical use, the target surface should be larger than the spot size to ensure stable ranging, especially at longer distances.

The operating temperature range is −20°C to +60°C (non-condensing), covering most indoor plants and many outdoor installations. Recommended precautions include correct wiring without reverse polarity or overvoltage, using a red-transparent cover plate for dust protection when needed (with ≥85% transmittance at 905 nm), and avoiding direct viewing of the Class 2 indicator light. For static-sensitive environments, anti-ESD handling is advised.

With its 50 m range, 1 kHz measuring frequency, 9–36 V DC supply, compact 38 × 20 × 30 mm housing, strong 100 kLux ambient light immunity and simple UART protocol, the LRF50H is a strong choice for overhead crane positioning, carriage connection distance control, safety and security barriers, industrial gates and inspection robots where fast, robust distance sensing is critical.