UAV Gimbal Laser Rangefinder Modules

A UAV gimbal laser rangefinder module is chosen on four numbers: range against your real target, weight, supply and power draw, and update rate against platform speed. ERDILRF supplies 905 nm UART modules from short-range units up to LRF3000A1, with range, weight and power for each listed below from the model datasheet.

This page is a hub for drone, UAV and gimbal payload integrators. It pulls together four existing guides, adds the parts they leave out (beam footprint, power and weight budget, vibration, window and flight-controller wiring), and points you to the model pages for exact figures. The modules on this page are 905 nm, civil-use products. If your mission needs a wavelength other than 905 nm, this is not the right catalogue for it.

Start with the job: altitude hold or ranging to a point

These are two different measurements, and they push you toward different modules.

• Altitude hold or terrain following. The module points down (or forward along a known tilt) and the flight controller wants height above ground. The beam is fixed to the airframe, so attitude matters: the slant range you measure is longer than the height whenever the aircraft is tilted. Update rate and a short, clean minimum range matter more than reach. The guide Laser Rangefinder vs LiDAR vs Ultrasonic for Altitude Hold compares sensor types for this job, and Drone Altimetry & Obstacle Sensing with Laser Modules shows why a lighter module, a faster rate and a longer range are three separate choices.
• Ranging to a point from a gimbal. The module sits inside an electro-optical payload and measures along the camera line of sight to a chosen object. Here reach, accuracy at working distance, beam size on the target and the weight the gimbal can carry decide the model. The guide Choosing Rangefinder Range & Accuracy for Gimbal Payloads explains why a datasheet range is tied to a stated target reflectivity and why you should size against your darkest realistic target.

Write the job down before comparing models: operating height or working distance, the least reflective surface you must range, lighting, mounting angle and what the aircraft does when a reading is missing. A catalogue maximum range is meaningful only with its stated conditions attached. For LRF3000A1, for example, the source table states at least 3,000 m for a building target at 70% reflectivity in clear weather with visibility of at least 4 km. That says nothing about a dark surface seen from an aircraft.

Which wavelength: where 905 nm fits

A Class 1 905 nm module is the practical fit when you want a light, compact unit without a viewing restriction and your range need is within what a compact 905 nm design can reach against a realistic target. The article 905 nm vs 1535 nm for UAV Gimbals and Payloads walks through the physics and the payload-class decision matrix. In short: the 905 nm modules in the table below list low mass and power in their datasheets; a longer-wavelength module carries a larger eye-safe pulse-energy allowance but is a different product class, and ERDILRF does not offer one. For the general comparison see 905 nm vs 1535 nm: choosing the wavelength.

Modules suited to gimbal and UAV payloads

The table lists the lighter and longer-range models most often considered for payloads. Values are reproduced from each model’s datasheet record. Range figures carry their own conditions, so open the model page before you size a payload. A dash means the datasheet record has no value; “see datasheet” means the manual states two values or the field is unresolved, so we do not print either.

Two things stand out when you read the table as a payload designer. First, LR1000E2, LR1200E2 and LR1500E2 list identical dimensions and LR2000E2 differs by 0.15 mm in one axis, so moving between these range variants changes the envelope very little; confirm against the datasheet drawing. Second, the H-series modules take a 9–36 V industrial supply, so they need a regulated rail or a power input that the lower-voltage modules do not. For a side-by-side of the 1,000 m class see 1000 m LR-series modules compared, and for the flagship see LRF3000A1 deep dive. Series overviews: LR series, H series, SPD series, A series.

Beam divergence and footprint on the target

A pulsed 905 nm beam is not a pencil line. The spot on the target grows with distance, and if the spot is larger than the object you want, the module may report a nearer or farther surface that falls inside the beam. Divergence figures in the datasheet records are:

• LR1200E2: < 4 mrad (small laser spot)
• SPD1200N2: < 4.5 mrad
• LR1500E2: < 6 mrad (small spot)
• LR2000E2: < 6 mrad
• LR1000E2: < 9 mrad
• LRF3000A1: typical beam divergence ≤ 10 mrad; receiver field of view ≈ 8 mrad

Divergence in milliradians multiplies directly by distance in metres to give spot size in millimetres. As plain geometry, 4 mrad at 500 m is about 2 m across, and 10 mrad at 500 m is about 5 m across. Use that to check whether your intended object fills the spot at your working distance. We print no divergence figure for models whose datasheet record does not carry one; ask for the datasheet instead of assuming a sibling model’s value.

Update rate against platform speed

The distance a platform travels between two readings is its speed multiplied by the interval between readings. A slow, long-range payload that ranges a largely static object can accept the roughly 1–10 Hz class of the long-range modules in the table. A forward-looking or terrain-following job on a fast-moving aircraft needs a much faster stream, which is what the kilohertz-class H-series rates are for. On the three long-range H models the rate switches between 1 kHz and 50 Hz according to echo strength, so check which rate your target actually gives you. Also remember that the rate a module reports is not the rate your controller sees; serial buffering and host processing add delay. The full reasoning is in Rangefinder Update Rate for Moving Platforms.

Power and weight budget

Add the module to the gimbal budget as four items, not one: the module mass from the table, the cable and connector, any regulator or level shifter, and the window or housing that the beam passes through. Check the supply column against what your payload already provides. A 3.3–5 V module can often share a rail with the camera controller; a 9–36 V module cannot, and the converter adds mass. For power, use the average figure for thermal planning and the maximum for rail sizing. LRF3000A1 gives power at three temperatures, which matters if the payload runs warm in a sealed housing. For the flagship, the datasheet gives a standby figure and an enable pin; the model page has the details.

Vibration, shock, window and ingress rating

A gimbal isolates the camera from airframe vibration, but a rangefinder bolted to the moving stage still sees motor and propeller content. The datasheet records state a shock and vibration rating for the E2-series modules (LR1000E2, LR1200E2, LR2000E2) and SPD1200N2 as 1000 g/ms (10×/s along optical axis) with 5–50–5 Hz at 2.5 g, and LRF3000A1 as 1000 g/ms with 5–50–5 Hz at 2.5 g. We print no vibration rating for models whose record has none; ask for the datasheet. Treat these as module ratings, not a statement about your complete payload.

Ingress protection is stated as IP67 (inside lens cavity) for the E2-series and SPD1200N2, and IP67 for LRF3000A1. For LRF1200A1 the record says on request. An IP rating on the module does not replace window design: if the beam leaves through your own protective window, the window material, coating and cleanliness change the signal. See protective window acceptance before you commit to a cover glass, and note that low-reflectivity surfaces and strong sunlight both cut the achievable range.

Flight controller integration

The modules speak UART (some H-series models also list I²C), not a native flight-stack rangefinder protocol. The guide Connect a UART Laser Rangefinder to Pixhawk/ArduPilot describes two routes: a companion board that decodes the frame and republishes a MAVLink distance message, or a scripting driver on the flight controller. Both need an exact-model decoder and bench validation; neither is a tested flight setup. Frame formats, baud rates, wiring notes, the open-source driver repository and a ROS 2 node are on the Integrator Resources page, with downloads at /downloads/drivers/. Do not connect a rangefinder to a control or safety function without system-level review and testing.

Civil use and laser class

ERDILRF modules are sold for civil applications such as survey, inspection, mapping and observation payloads; see civil UAV solutions. The datasheet records state IEC Class 1 (LRF3000A1: 905 ± 10 nm, Class 1 per IEC 60825-1) or Class 1 for the models in the table where the field is present. This is the laser class declared in the model manual, a manufacturer self-declaration, not an independent certificate; for background read 905 nm Class 1 eye safety explained. Your complete product and your market may carry its own rules, which you remain responsible for.

Next step

Send your working distance, darkest target, supply rail, mass limit and host interface and we will point you to a model and its datasheet. Request a quotation or sample through the contact form, or by WhatsApp +86 133 0819 5790 or email tommy@erdimail.com. Lead time, minimum order and sample terms are confirmed in writing with the quotation. Related hubs: laser rangefinder modules, manufacturer in China, full model directory, downloads.

Frequently asked questions