SPD1200M17 Mini 905nm Laser Rangefinder Module for Thermal Imagers, Night Vision and Civil UAV Payloads

Technical Specifications

Functional Description

The system supports single measurement and continuous measurement functions.

3.1 Baud Rate Configuration
Allows modification of the serial communication baud rate.

3.2 Single Measurement
Triggers a single distance measurement to the target. For low-reflectivity targets, the system automatically repeats measurements until stable distance data is obtained. The final result is transmitted via the serial interface in the standard data format.

3.3 Continuous Measurement
In continuous measurement mode, the laser module performs repeated distance measurements on the target. The typical refresh rate can be set to 2 Hz, and the maximum refresh rate can reach 15 Hz.

Electrical Interface Definition

Mechanical Interface

Product Description

The SPD1200M17 is a mini 905nm laser rangefinder module built for compact electro-optical systems that need reliable distance measurement without adding much size, weight or power burden. It is designed for thermal imagers, night vision devices, telescopes, laser illuminators and lightweight civil UAV payloads, where a small 1.2 km-class rangefinder core is more useful than a bulky long-range assembly.

Operating at 905nm ±5nm, the module measures from 0.2m to 1200m, with a maximum nighttime range of 1500m under favourable conditions. Its stated accuracy is ±0.3m below 100m, and ±0.3m + d×0.7‰ from 100m to 1200m, where d is the measured distance. The valid measurement rate is ≥98%, the false alarm rate is ≤1%, beam divergence is <4mrad, and the receiving aperture is 5.0mm × 7mm. Those figures place the SPD1200M17 in the same practical integration class as other compact 905nm ranging modules commonly used with thermal imaging, handheld optics and small UAV payloads.

The module supports both single measurement and continuous measurement. Refresh rate is specified at 2–15Hz, with 4–15Hz adaptive operation also supported, giving designers a useful balance between responsiveness and power draw. In single mode, if the target reflectivity is low, the system automatically repeats measurements internally until stable data is obtained before sending the result. In continuous mode, the typical output rate can be set to 2Hz, while the maximum reaches 15Hz. That behaviour is especially useful for handheld optics and portable EO devices, where the target scene may change quickly but stable distance output still matters.

Electrically, the SPD1200M17 uses a UART-TTL interface with a default baud rate of 115200bps, running from 3.3V to 5V. Startup time is ≤200ms, startup current is about 380mA, average operating power is around 0.45W, and maximum power is ≤0.75W. That makes it easy to power from compact embedded electronics and battery-based optical products. Similar 905nm OEM modules sold for thermal imaging, night vision and UAV integration are also generally positioned around small form factor, TTL output and low-power operation, which matches the intended role of this unit.

The protocol is straightforward for secondary development. It uses an 8-byte frame with 0x55 0xAA headers, a function code, four data bytes and checksum. Supported commands include single-shot ranging, continuous ranging, stop ranging, optional angle measurement for angle-sensor versions, power-on self-test, baud-rate configuration and LD constant-ON mode for development. Distance data is returned in hexadecimal as the actual value multiplied by 10, so the host can reconstruct the result with one decimal place. The manual also notes that baud-rate changes become effective only after reboot and that LD constant-ON mode should not be enabled for long periods.

Mechanically, the SPD1200M17 adopts a Ø17 × 27.85mm cylindrical body and weighs ≤6g. It uses a 6-pin electrical interface including SW-SHOT, RXD, TXD, reserved I/O, VCC and GND. The guide specifies that the Enable pin must be pulled LOW (connected to GND) during use, which is a small but essential integration detail. This compact round structure makes the module easy to embed in monoculars, compact thermal viewers, telescope housings and miniature pod systems.

The environmental envelope is practical for civil outdoor equipment: −20°C to +60°C operating temperature, −30°C to +70°C storage, IP67 protection inside the lens cavity, 1000g/ms shock resistance along the optical axis, 5–50–5Hz, 2.5g vibration resistance, and MTBF ≥1500h. These specifications fit field optics, outdoor observation equipment and lightweight sensor heads rather well.

For optical-window integration, the manual recommends H-K9L optical glass or fused silica, wedge-angle tolerance ≤3′, surface roughness around Ra 0.012, and an AR coating optimized for 855–955nm with transmittance ≥99.5%. After hydrophobic or hard coatings, total transmittance should remain ≥98%. Window thickness is recommended at 2–4mm, with the transmit optical axis parallel to the window normal and the air gap kept below 0.5mm to reduce transmission loss and back-reflection. The glamorous part of laser products is the beam; the reason they still work after shipping is usually boring optical housekeeping like this.

The use notes also clarify real-world range behaviour. Under the reference condition—a medium-reflectivity target such as a building wall, perpendicular incidence, clear weather and no direct sunlight—the module achieves nominal performance. The manual also points out that high-reflectivity targets such as highway traffic signs can measure farther, while low-reflectivity targets such as trees or animals measure less. Rain, fog, snow and haze will reduce range, and tripod mounting is recommended for long-distance testing.

Overall, the SPD1200M17 is best understood as a mini 905nm ranging core for civil electro-optical integration: compact enough for handheld and embedded devices, strong enough for 1200m-class daytime and 1500m-class nighttime performance, and simple enough for fast UART-based secondary development in thermal imaging, night vision, portable observation devices and civil UAV payloads. That positioning also matches how similar 905nm modules are described across current OEM search results and product listings.