(Sony Electronics: San Diego) -- Sony Electronics Inc. has announced commercialization of its AS-DT1 LiDAR depth sensor. The AS-DT1 is the world’s smallest and lightest LiDAR depth sensor structure, measuring just 29 mm x 29 mm x 31 mm (approximately 1.14 in. width x 1.14 in. height x 1.22 in. depth), excluding protrusions, and weighing only 50 g (approximately 1.76 oz). It leverages miniaturization and optical lens technologies from Sony’s machine vision industrial cameras, making it ideal for applications where space and weight constraints are paramount, including drones, robotics, and more.

AS-DT1’s “direct time of flight” (dToF) LiDAR technology delivers fast and accurate measurement, distance resolution, and measuring range. The proprietary dToF ranging module, equipped with a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) sensor, utilizes multiple ranging points for distance measurement and can accurately measure distances in three dimensions: length, width, and depth.

The AS-DT1 can measure distances to low-contrast subjects and objects with low reflectivity that are more difficult to detect with other ranging methods. This enables accurate measurement of distances in diverse environments, such as retail stores, where various objects, including people and fixtures, are present. In addition to its ability to accurately measure distances both indoors and outdoors, the sensor’s compact, lightweight design and rigid aluminum housing allow for integration into a wide range of devices, such as food service robots in restaurants, autonomous mobile robots in warehouses, and drones used for inspections and surveys.

High measurement accuracy and distance resolution

Sony’s proprietary dToF ranging module, equipped with a SPAD sensor, achieves highly accurate measurements and distance resolution. It can measure at various distances, for example, at 10 m (approximately 32.8 ft) with a margin of ±5 cm (nearly 2 in.) both indoors and outdoors. Additionally, it is capable of accurately measuring distances to various objects that are difficult to detect with other ranging methods. This includes low-contrast subjects, objects with low reflectivity, and floating objects, making it suitable for integration into robots used in environments such as stores and warehouses.

Long measurement range

The AS-DT1 is accurate over distances of 40 m (approximately 131.23 ft) indoors and 20 m (approximately 65.6 ft) outdoors under bright summer conditions (assuming 100,000 lux) that can be challenging when inspecting infrastructure such as bridges, highways, and dams.

Compact, lightweight, and robust housing

By utilizing an aluminum alloy for the structure, the sensor balances lightweight design and robustness. The compact housing makes it easy to integrate into various devices, such as autonomous mobile robots, that have limited space for depth sensors, and drones, where weight can affect flight time and distance.

The AS-DT1 is expected to be available in spring 2026. A prototype will first be exhibited in the United States at Xponential in Houston, May 20-22, 2025. To learn more about the AS-DT1, visit https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/lidar/as-dt1.

The AS-DT1 is the world’s smallest and lightest LiDAR depth sensor structure.