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Lightware GRF-500 Manual

Accurate, long-distance sensing capability in the world's smallest and lightest form factor
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GRF-500 laser rangefinder
Accurate, long-distance sensing capability in
the world's smallest and lightest form factor
Disclaimer
Information found in this document is used entirely at the reader's own risk and whilst every effort has been made
to ensure its validity, neither LightWare Optoelectronics (Pty) Ltd, its subsidiaries, nor its representatives make any
warranties with respect to the accuracy of the information contained herein.
GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 |
26 March 2025
Page 1 of 44

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Summary of Contents for Lightware GRF-500

  • Page 1 Information found in this document is used entirely at the reader’s own risk and whilst every effort has been made to ensure its validity, neither LightWare Optoelectronics (Pty) Ltd, its subsidiaries, nor its representatives make any warranties with respect to the accuracy of the information contained herein.
  • Page 2 Welcome to LightWare Thank you for selecting LightWare as your partner in distance sensing technology. LightWare is a pioneer in microLiDAR® distance sensors, drawing upon four decades of expertise in LiDAR technology to develop application-specific products renowned for their accuracy, reliability, and durability.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Sleep mode ..............................23 First and last pulse detection ......................... 23 Physical communication interfaces ......................25 Serial UART interface ............................25 C interface ..............................26 GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 3 of 44...
  • Page 4 Cleaning ................................41 14.3 Electrical safety ..............................41 14.4 Service and repairs ............................42 End-of-life safe disposal ..........................43 Document revision history ..........................44 GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 4 of 44...

  • Page 5: Overview

    1M eye safety standards. The GRF-500’s accuracy is not affected by the color or texture of the target or object surface or the laser beam’s angle of incidence. It is virtually immune to background light, wind, and noise, rendering it an ideal sensor for outdoor use.

  • Page 6: Safety

    Always adhere to these product safety precautions and operate the sensor strictly following the guidelines outlined in this product guide. LightWare bears no responsibility or liability for any damage or injury, whether direct or indirect, arising from a failure to comply with these stipulations.

  • Page 7: Labeling

    Figure 2: GRF-500 laser warning label Important note: It is a legal requirement to display the laser warning label on your final product or system. To assist with this, LightWare has included an extra laser warning label in the packaging.

  • Page 8: Key Technical Specifications

    Key technical specifications Table 2: GRF-500 laser rangefinder key technical specifications GRF-500 laser rangefinder key technical specifications Performance 0.20 m to 500 m / 0.6 to 1640 ft. Range (at 5 Hz update rate, 40% albedo, 23 km visibility, 4x4m target size) Update rate 0.5 to 10 readings per second (customizable to suit application)

  • Page 9: Accessories

    LightWare website: USB communication cable To configure and test your rangefinder via LightWare Studio, a USB cable is needed. A USB C cable with a data transfer rate of 480 Mbps or more is recommended. Figure 3: USB2.0_C_M/M USB C cable for GRF-500...

  • Page 10: Breakout Board

    An optional breakout board accessory is available to facilitate the integration of the LRF into a host controller such as a Pixhawk, PX4, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, etc. It consists of four reusable adapter boards to conveniently connect the GRF-500 communication cable to other standard cables and host controllers, without requiring soldering.

  • Page 11: Getting Started

    Getting started LightWare Studio is a free application (available for Windows, macOS, and Linux) and is the gateway to configuring your microLiDAR® sensor and visualizing your data. This software empowers you to customize settings, fine-tune sensor parameters, and easily analyze data. It also facilitates firmware upgrades and in-field diagnostics and support.
  • Page 12 Click on the device name to open the device screen. Figure 7: LightWare Studio device connection screen LightWare Studio will start on the device’s Info page, indicating the serial number, hardware version and firmware version of your device. Figure 8: LightWare Studio device information screen Caution: Always keep your LightWare LRF’s software up to date...
  • Page 13 Toggle the parameters on the left to stop or start the streaming, add line numbers or time stamps, or switch on different data types. Figure 9: LightWare Studio distance graph screen showing measurements On this screen, you can control specific device parameters, which are also accessible from the dedicated parameters screen.
  • Page 14 10. Data can be downloaded and saved using the save icon above the data. Figure 11: LightWare Studio distance log screen showing measurements GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025...

  • Page 15: Parameters, Filters, Settings And Tools

    Parameters, filters, settings and tools Setting the device parameters Your LightWare LRF can be configured via LightWare Studio or from a host controller using the product commands through the serial UART or I C communication interfaces. In the left panel, click on Parameters to open the detailed parameters screen.
  • Page 16 Set your device parameters according to your requirements. Refer to the table below for more information. Table 4: GRF-500 adjustable parameters Parameter Explanation Options Communication Serial UART baud The baud rate used by the serial From 9600 to 921,600 rate UART interface in kbps.

  • Page 17: Filters

    Typically used when monitoring the distance to stationary surfaces, such as when taking level measurements and filling rates. GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 17 of 44...

  • Page 18: Settings And Tools

    Settings and tools Additional application settings are available by clicking on the gears icon in the top menu: Figure 13: LightWare Studio application settings screen You can access the specialized device tools screen by clicking on the wrench icon in the top...

  • Page 19: Installation, Mounting, And Mounting

    Installation, mounting, and mounting Mechanical interface For detailed CAD files, please refer to the LightWare resource center at https://lightwarelidar.com/. Figure 15: GRF-500 mechanical interface Caution: Ensure that adequate ventilation or heat sinking is provided if the LRF is incorporated into a custom enclosure, as heat build-up could occur.

  • Page 20: Communication And Power Cable

    Communication and power cable The LRF is supplied with a A08SUR08SUR32W102A communication cable. Spare cables are available from the LightWare online store: https://lightwarelidar.com/. Figure 16: Communication cable pinout Table 5: GRF-500 pinout table Connector Serial Function C Function TXD, transmit data for serial connections SDA, serial data for I...

  • Page 21: Orientation

    Figure 17: LRF mounting orientations Mounting and alignment instructions The GRF-500 features three mounting feet, facilitating side mounting when integrated with a gimbal system. Take careful note of the following points when mounting the LRF: When choosing a position, ensure that there is nothing in the path of the laser beam, •...
  • Page 22 Ensure adequate ventilation or heat sinking if the LRF is incorporated into a custom • enclosure to prevent heat build-up. Secure the communication cable to prevent it from pulling on the connection port. • GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 22 of 44...

  • Page 23: Advanced Features

    Sleep mode The GRF-500 can be put into sleep mode, which halts all laser ranging and processor functions, reducing power consumption to approximately 30% of the normal operational level. Upon waking, the processor resumes its previous state.
  • Page 24 Although first and last pulse detection is helpful when the sensor needs to be positioned behind a protective window, this type of mounting is not recommended, as LightWare sensors are designed to be integrated with exposed lens elements.

  • Page 25: Physical Communication Interfaces

    We suggest using LightWare’s pre-built APIs wherever possible, which are available via the LightWare website resource center. If you require more control or do not find a suitable pre- built API, you can use the information below to build a compatible system. The packet-based binary protocol is compatible with higher-level APIs like C, Python, and JavaScript.

  • Page 26: I 2 C Interface

    C communication. The packet-based binary protocol is a register-based protocol that is compatible with higher- level APIs like C, Python, and JavaScript. This is LightWare’s recommended protocol as it allows for various data streaming from a single request. The first command sent by the host to the sensor after powerup will be used to detect whether serial UART or I C mode is in use.

  • Page 27: Command Structure

    The LRF will not accept and process a packet if the CRC is not correctly formed. Every byte in the packet except for the CRC itself is included in the checksum calculation. GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 27 of 44...

  • Page 28: Checksum Algorithm

    = code << 7 & 0xFFFF; crc ^= code; crc ^= code; code = code << 7; crc ^= code; return crc; return crc; GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 28 of 44...

  • Page 29: Reading Bytes

    Below is the process for reading the raw serial byte stream and identifying packets: Figure 21: Process flow for reading bytes GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 29 of 44...

  • Page 30: Sending Commands

    Below is the process for sending a command request and reading the response: Figure 22: Process flow for sending commands GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 30 of 44...

  • Page 31: Saving

    The Token expires every time after use and consecutive save commands will require the request of a new token prior to the save commands sent. GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 31 of 44...

  • Page 32: Command List

    A 16-byte string indicating product model name. Always GRF500 followed by a null terminator. Product name R Use to verify the GRF-500 is connected and operational over the selected interface. Hardware /uint3 The hardware revision number as a uint32.
  • Page 33 (44) stream first and last distance data (45) stream five distances data Distance data in 0.1 m resolution as measured by the GRF-500. This command can be read any time, but if (30) stream is set to 5, this command will automatically output at the measurement update rate.
  • Page 34 /uint8 /uint8 Disabled Enabled Controls the data sampling update rate of the GRF-500, in samples per second or Update rate Reading this command will return the current update rate in Hz. /uint32 /uint32 Writing this command will set the update rate in Hz.
  • Page 35 Writing to this command will set the baud rate. Value Baud rate (bps) 9600 Baud rate 19200 /uint8 /uint8 38400 57600 115200 230400 460800 921600 GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 35 of 44...
  • Page 36 Changing this offset value will change the zero-distance position for the output, 114 Zero offset /int32 /int32 written and read in 0.1 m resolution. GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 36 of 44...

  • Page 37: Firmware Updates

    Firmware updates Occasionally, LightWare will release new firmware for your LRF, to address bug fixes or introduce additional features. All registered customers will receive an email notification when new firmware is released for their LightWare sensor. Caution: LightWare strongly advises that all LightWare sensors are kept up to date with their latest firmware revision.
  • Page 38 If you need to upgrade, click the Install button, followed by OK to confirm. Figure 25: Confirmation of the firmware upgrade The firmware will be installed to your device, and the device will automatically reboot. GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 38 of 44...

  • Page 39: Troubleshooting

    Sensor outputs -1 The GRF-500 is designed to operate between 20 cm and 500 m / 7.87” • and 1640 ft. Measurements below 0.2 m or above 500 m will return an out-of-range value of –1.
  • Page 40 * Coming soon For issues not covered above, refer to the FAQs in the LightWare website resource center or contact LightWare’s dedicated technical support team for assistance with remote testing of your LightWare sensor. GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025...

  • Page 41: Repair And Maintenance

    14.2 Cleaning If the LightWare LRF lenses collect dust, use a clean, soft cloth or air compressor to remove it. The lenses are coated with an anti-reflective, non-scratch coating. Only appropriate lens cleaning materials should be used to avoid scratching the LRF’s lens or damaging the coating.

  • Page 42: Service And Repairs

    LightWare Studio from the device info screen. Figure 26: LightWare Studio device information screen If the unit needs to be returned to LightWare for repairs, LightWare support will assist you with the Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) procedure. GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025...

  • Page 43: End-Of-Life Safe Disposal

    End-of-life safe disposal At LightWare, we are committed to protecting the environment and ensuring that our products have minimal impact on the planet at the end of their lifecycle. As your device reaches the end of its operational life, we encourage you to dispose of it in a responsible and environmentally friendly manner.

  • Page 44: Document Revision History

    Document revision history Table 11: Revision history Revision Date Comments Rev 1.0 2025/03/26 First edition GRF-500 LRF | Product guide | Revision 1.0 | 26 March 2025 Page 44 of 44...