Detailed LRF0818C Specifications
The technical material below is retained for this model only. Do not transfer a range, pulse, interface, mechanical or safety value from another 1535 nm product.
Technical Specifications
|
Parameter |
Specification |
|
Operating wavelength |
1535 nm ± 10 nm |
|
Eye safety |
Class Ⅰ |
|
Applicable standards |
MIL-STD-810G |
|
Transmitting aperture |
Φ12 mm |
|
Receiving aperture |
Φ26 mm |
|
Maximum range Under visibility ≥ 12 km and relative humidity ≤ 60%, tested against a 0.3-reflectivity panel (or equivalent target) |
Vehicle (2.3 m × 4.6 m): ≥ 8000 m Human (0.5 m × 1.7 m): ≥ 4500 m UAV (0.2 m × 0.3 m): ≥ 2600 m |
|
Minimum range |
≤ 20 m |
|
Range accuracy |
≤ ±2 m |
|
Ranging rate |
Single shot, 1 Hz, 2 Hz, 3 Hz, 4 Hz, 5 Hz, 10 Hz |
|
Beam divergence |
≤ 0.4 mrad |
|
Operating temperature |
−40 °C to +60 °C |
|
Storage temperature |
−50 °C to +70 °C (to be qualified at the system level) |
|
Vibration |
5→50→5 Hz sweep, 1 octave/min, 2.5 g (system-level qualification) |
|
Shock |
1200 g, 1 ms (system-level qualification) |
|
Overall dimensions |
≤ 59.5 mm × 26 mm × 32 mm |
|
Weight |
≤ 65 g |
|
Communication interface |
TTL |
|
Supply voltage |
4.5 V–16 V |
|
Power consumption |
Standby ≤ 1 mW; Operating ≤ 4 W; Peak ≤ 14 W @ 12 V |
Structural dimensions
Overall dimensions: ≤ 59.5 mm × 26 mm × 32 mm
Figure — Mechanical and Opto-Mechanical Interface Diagram
Electrical Interface
a) Supply voltage:5 V–16 V
b) Power consumption:standby ≤ 1 mW; operating ≤ 4 W; peak ≤ 14 W @ 12 V
c) The host computer connects to the rangefinder via a 6-pin connector for interface and testing.
The pin assignment of the rangefinder’s power and communication port is shown in Table 1.
Table 1 — Pin assignment of the rangefinder power and communication port
|
Pin # |
Pin No. |
Remarks |
|
P-1 |
VIN+ |
Power input, 4.5–16 V |
|
P-2 |
VIN- |
Power ground (GND) |
|
P-3 |
POWER_ON |
Module power enable (TTL, 3.3 V logic level); |
|
P-4 |
UART_TX |
UART TXD (serial transmit), TTL, 3.3 V logic level |
|
P-5 |
UART_RX |
UART RXD (serial receive), TTL, 3.3 V logic level |
|
P-6 |
GND |
Serial ground (SGND) |
Connector Pin 1 Location
Model-specific conditions and limits
Conditions are retained only when the source states them. They are not reconstructed from a nominal range or wavelength.
Read the controlled model table for its stated target, reflectance, visibility, temperature, rate and acceptance conditions. No additional condition has been inferred for this model.
Pulsed Time-of-Flight Ranging
A pulsed rangefinder estimates one-way distance from the round-trip delay of an accepted optical return. The equation is general engineering context, not an additional LRF0818C specification.
Pulse energy describes emitted energy per pulse; its effect cannot be separated from pulse width, divergence, optical losses, receiver threshold and the stated target/atmosphere conditions. It is not a substitute for a model-specific near- or long-range acceptance test.
Source-stated application context
Application labels indicate evaluation context, not automatic fitness for a finished system.
Applications
-
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
-
Robotics and autonomous navigation
-
Military and defense targeting systems
-
Vehicle collision avoidance systems
-
Surveillance and range monitoring
-
Optical measurement and mapping
Product Description
LRF0818C Mini 8km 1535nm Eye-Safe Laser Rangefinder Sensor for UAV Gimbals, Handheld Optics and Security Systems
The LRF0818C is a miniaturized 1535nm eye-safe laser rangefinder sensor designed for embedded integration in UAV gimbals, handheld day/night optics, compact EO/IR cameras and fixed security systems. It emits 1535nm ±10nm laser pulses and calculates distance using the time-of-flight principle while communicating with the host via a TTL serial interface, combining long-range performance with simple, robust control.
Under visibility ≥12km and relative humidity ≤60%, against a 0.3-reflectivity panel or equivalent targets, the LRF0818C achieves ≥8000m on vehicle targets (2.3m × 4.6m), ≥4500m on human targets (0.5m × 1.7m, design-guaranteed) and ≥2600m on small UAV targets (0.2m × 0.3m, design-guaranteed). The minimum range is ≤20m, with ±2m range accuracy, ≥98% valid return rate and ≤0.4mrad beam divergence, giving engineers a compact sensor that still reaches out to 8km in real scenarios.
The module supports single-shot and continuous ranging at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10Hz, selectable by serial commands. Built-in functions include first/last target ranging, range gating, device self-test, temperature readout, power-on status reporting, cumulative shot counter and firmware upgrade over the serial port. This makes the LRF0818C suitable not only for basic distance measurement, but also for smart sensing nodes that require health monitoring and configuration management over long service lives.
Electrically, the LRF0818C operates from a 4.5–16V DC supply. Standby consumption is ≤1mW, typical operating power is ≤4W, and peak power is ≤14W @12V, giving a good balance between 8km-class performance and power budget for airborne, handheld and mast-mounted platforms. A 6-pin connector exposes VIN+, VIN−, POWER_ON, UART_TX, UART_RX and SGND, all using TTL 3.3V levels. The UART runs at 115200bps (default) with options for 57600, 38400 and 9600bps, using an 8N1 frame format and LSB-first transmission, which makes host integration straightforward on common MCUs, FPGAs and embedded PCs.
Mechanically, the LRF0818C is packaged in a ≤59.5mm × 26mm × 32mm housing with a weight of ≤65g, which is noticeably slim compared with many 8km-class sensors and helps keep gimbal inertia and handheld device weight under control. It is specified for an operating temperature range of −40°C to +60°C, storage from −50°C to +70°C, and passes system-level vibration (5→50→5Hz, 2.5g) and 1200g / 1ms shock tests, enabling deployment on UAVs, vehicle turrets and fixed outdoor installations that must survive long-term mechanical and thermal stress.
The LRF0818C supports two UART communication protocols. Protocol 1 uses a simple 0x55/0xAA frame with function bytes for single and continuous ranging, baud-rate switching, range-gate setting, self-test and status query. Protocol 2 adopts an extended 0xEE 0x16 header, explicit device code, command code and parameter fields, plus a checksum based on the command payload. Command codes cover device self-test, single and continuous ranging, first/last/multi-target mode selection, baud-rate setting, continuous ranging frequency and range-gate configuration, as well as total and per-power-on shot counters. This dual-protocol approach lets engineers choose between a lightweight command set and a more structured, extensible interface.
For systems that require an external optical window—such as PTZ domes, UAV turrets or rugged outdoor enclosures—the datasheet recommends using H-K9L optical glass with wedge angle ≤3′ and surface roughness Ra ≤0.012µm. An AR coating optimized for 1525–1545nm should offer ≥99% transmittance, and after any hydrophobic or hard coatings and mechanical integration, overall transmittance should remain ≥97%. The window thickness is typically kept within 2–4mm, the laser axis should maintain 2–4° alignment with the window normal, and the air gap should be minimized to reduce absorption and back-reflection.
Beyond classic laser ranging, compact 1535nm eye-safe modules like the LRF0818C are widely used for UAV surveillance and navigation, handheld rangefinders and binoculars, border and perimeter security, traffic monitoring, robotic perception, thermal imaging fusion and industrial monitoring, where long-range performance, Class I eye safety, small form factor and a clean serial interface are all critical. The 1.5µm band offers good atmospheric transmission and is invisible to most night-vision image intensifiers, making it a natural choice for combined day/night and thermal systems.
Confirm short- and long-distance acceptance conditions
- Define minimum distance, target material, reflectance, size and incidence angle.
- Check receiver recovery, optical-axis overlap and strong-return handling at the intended near limit.
- Verify supply tolerance, peak current, grounding, interface levels, connector and timing with the ordered revision.
- For long-distance acceptance, state target geometry, visibility, weather, background and required detection probability.
- Test with the installed window, boresight, field of view, enclosure and thermal path rather than a bare module alone.
- Evaluate accessible emission, labels and failure conditions again for the finished laser product under IEC 60825-1.
Questions to resolve before design release
Does a stated maximum range apply to every target?
No. A stated range must be read with its target and environmental conditions. Dark, small, oblique, wet or partially obscured targets and degraded visibility can reduce received signal.
Does 1535 nm itself establish the laser classification?
No. Classification concerns accessible emission from the finished laser product. The module statement and final instrument assessment are distinct.
Can a long-range claim be used as the minimum range?
No. Minimum-distance behaviour depends on the particular transmit/receive geometry, receiver timing and strong-return management documented for the model and host system.
Product evidence and general technical context
The model PDF controls model claims. Public references below explain general engineering principles only.
- ERDI LRF0818C model PDFModel-specific technical evidence.
- System Design of a Pulsed Laser RangefinderOptical Engineering 30(3), 1991 - link budget, background, noise, detection and range error.
- The Short-Range, High-Accuracy Compact Pulsed Laser Ranging SystemSensors 22(6), 2146, 2022 - pulsed-ToF equation, timing error, reflectivity and temperature effects.
- Laser system range calculations and the Lambert W functionApplied Optics 48(4), B1-B7, 2009 - range performance versus atmospheric transmission, target and system parameters, and threshold SNR; its 1.06 µm example is general context, not ERDI model data.
- Monostatic all-fiber rangefinder systemApplied Optics 54(25), 7687-7694, 2015 - a measured case study of shared-aperture geometry and receiver-recovery loss; it does not establish an ERDI model limit.
- Light Transmission in Fog: The Influence of Wavelength on the Extinction CoefficientApplied Sciences 9(14), 2843, 2019 - measured and modeled wavelength-dependent fog attenuation.
- IEC 60825-1:2014Laser-product classification and accessible-emission requirements; final equipment requires system-level assessment.
- Practical application of pulsed “eye-safe” microchip laser to laser rangefindersOpto-Electronics Review 21(3), 2013 - a peer-reviewed 1535 nm rangefinder implementation; use for general transmitter/receiver and atmospheric-design context, not model specifications.