STMicroelectronics VL53L9CX, or VL53L9 for short, is the company’s first direct Time-of-Flight (dToF) 3D LiDAR all-in-one module. It offers a sensing range of 5 centimeters to 9 meters, a wide 72º field of view, a resolution of 2.3K zones, and up to 100 Hz frame rate.
ST’s ToF sensors have gone a long way since we covered the VL53L0X sensor with a single zone and 2-meter range in 2017. Since then, the company has steadily improved its tiny ToF sensors with up to 64 zones and long range in recent sensors like the VL53L8CP. While the VL53L9CX is still tiny at 12.8 x 6.1 x 4.6 mm, it’s in a class of its own, acting like a mini 3D scanner with 2268 zones, and will be used for a range of applications in robotics, industrial automation, smart buildings, AR/VR, and healthcare.
ST VL53L9CX 3D ToF camera module specifications:
- Multizone ranging output with up to 54 x 42 separate zones (2268) and binning options
- Receiving array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs)
- Scan by two vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) flood illumination 940 nm invisible light and integrated analog driver
- Ranging from <5 cm up to 8.8 m with up to 1% accuracy
- Up to 100 Hz frame rate capability
- 55°x42° (71° diagonal) FoV using metasurface optical elements (MOE) on both transmitter and receiver
- Host interface – MIPI I3C or MIPI CSI
- On-chip processing
- Streaming 2D IR image, depth and ambient maps
- Confidence level and reflectance maps generated in post-processing
- Histogram processing and algorithmic compensation to minimize or remove the impact of cover glass crosstalk and veiling glare
- Misc
- Compatible with a wide range of cover glass materials
- Class 1 laser safe
- Supply Voltages – 1.2V & 3.3V DC
- Dimensions – 12.8 x 6.1 x 4.6 mm
The ST FlightSense VL53L9 enables enhanced small object detection, SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) and obstacle avoidance for autonomous navigation for robotics, accurate volume measurement in tanks and bins for industrial automation, reliable human presence detection and people counting in Smart buildings and homes, advanced gesture recognition, body tracking and finger skeleton for AR/VR and consumer electronics, and fall detection and monitoring solutions for eldercare and patient safety for the healthcare market.
Two platforms have been released for developers. The STEVAL-VL53L9 module comes with a flex connector, which enables MIPI-based readings and allows interfacing with NUCLEO-N657X0-Q and STM32N6570-DK, Raspberry Pi, and Rockchip platforms. It can also be connected through its 8-pin header.
The second board is the X-NUCLEO-53L9A1 expansion board compatible with any STM32 Nucleo board equipped with the Arduino UNO R3 connectors.
What I could not find right now is any information about firmware development, but the company says the STM32CubeIDE has received updates to support both boards, and they can also offer a graphical user interface working with the X-NUCLEO-53L9A1 and NUCLEO-H563ZI board. You can check out the capabilities of the solution in the video embedded at the end of the article.
I’ve just noticed the VL53L9 was unveiled over two years ago, so the news is that the FlightSense VL53L9CX’s mass production will start in early July 2026, with samples and volume shipments available to customers globally. Pricing for the VL53L9CX has not been disclosed, but the STEVAL-VL53L6 module goes for $75, and the X-NUCLEO-53L9A1 expansion board for $100. More details may be found on the product page.
What happens when #edgeAI needs richer depth perception in a compact format?
Meet VL53L9, our dToF 3D #LiDAR all-in-one module for compact robotics, industrial, and AR/VR systemshttps://t.co/8b9KywRmmk #sensors #imaging #edgeAI pic.twitter.com/qrKeI8TD8R— STMicroelectronics (@ST_World) June 22, 2026
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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