LRF0818C Mini 8km 1535nm Eye-Safe Laser Rangefinder Sensor for UAV Gimbals, Handheld Optics and Security Systems

Technical Specifications

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

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

Connector Pin 1 Location

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.