HLK-LD2460 Radar Development Kit | mmWave Sensor for DIY Projects

Advanced Multi-Target Detection for Professionals

The HLK-LD2460 Radar Development Kit is a complete solution for professionals working with smart home projects, robotics, or building automation. This kit includes the HLK-LD2460 radar module and the corresponding test board for direct UART communication with popular platforms such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and ESP32.

Precision and Range

Using 24GHz FMCW millimeter wave technology, this sensor detects 3-5 people simultaneously and provides real-time XY coordinates with an accuracy of ±0.3 meters. The detection range is up to 6 meters for moving people (within 50°) and 5 meters for static presence. The sensor has a horizontal detection angle of 120° and a vertical detection angle of 90° . The sensor registers movement within 0.5 seconds and can track stationary people for up to 30 seconds .

Integration and Compatibility

The kit operates via a UART interface with dual serial ports (Tx1/Rx1 and Tx2/Rx2) for data transfer and configuration. The module includes a 12-pin connector with GPIO pins for expansion.

Note: This module is not plug-and-play for Home Assistant. Integration with Home Assistant requires an ESP32 microcontroller on which you must program ESPHome . There is currently no native ESPHome component for the LD2460; you must manually configure UART communication using the serial protocol. However, the module is suitable for direct use with Arduino IDE, Raspberry Pi, and ESP platforms via UART.

The module features a Bluetooth SOC for configuration and OTA firmware updates , but this only works via the manufacturer's included PC tool or mobile app – not via standard home automation platforms.

Practical Applications

This radar excels at presence detection where privacy is important—no cameras required. Ideal applications include:

• Smart lighting that switches on automatically when several people are present
• Robot navigation with obstacle detection and motion tracking
• Building automation for energy management based on space occupancy
• Security systems with trajectory tracking
• Smart home devices such as smart TVs, speakers and climate control

Automation example

Create intelligent office lighting that not only detects whether someone is present, but also where they are located. The HLK-LD2460 sends each person's X and Y coordinates to your ESP32, which then passes this data on to Home Assistant via ESPHome. This allows you to activate different lighting scenes per zone. When someone is sitting at the desk (static), work lighting remains on. When moving to the meeting area, presentation mode automatically switches on. Thanks to multi-target tracking, all zones remain correctly illuminated, even with multiple colleagues in the room.

Technical Specifications

• Frequency band: 24.0 - 24.25 GHz with 250 MHz bandwidth
• Power supply: DC 5V, current consumption ≤250mA
• Operating temperature: -40°C to +85°C for industrial reliability
• Distance resolution: 0.75m with angular resolution of 40°
• Interface: Dual UART ports (115200 baud standard) with 12-pin connector
• Detection capacity: Minimum 3 stationary persons, maximum 5 moving persons
• Boot time: ~1 second for full initialization

Configuration options

Via the serial protocol you can configure:

• Installation mode (top-mount or side-mount)
• Installation angle and height (side-mount: 25-40°, height 2.2-2.7m)
• Detection range and angle
• Sensitivity level (high/medium/low)
• Serial port baud rate

NB

• USB-C cable not included - make sure you have a suitable power cable for the test board
• For Home Assistant integration you need additional hardware (ESP32) and programming knowledge (ESPHome/YAML)
• The kit works directly with 5V USB power via the development board
• This is a development kit for advanced users - not suitable for beginners without programming experience

Disadvantage

The LD2460 does not have a native ESPHome component like the LD2410 or LD2450, so integration with Home Assistant requires more technical knowledge and manual UART configuration is necessary.

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