Adafruit VL53L1X TIME OF FLIGHT SENSOR STEMMA QT

The Adafruit VL53L1X Time of Flight (ToF) sensor provides up to 4 meters of range with LIDAR-grade precision. Using an invisible laser source, it measures the light’s time of flight to the target and back. Thanks to its narrow field of view, it accurately detects only the surface directly in front, avoiding issues seen with ultrasonic or IR sensors such as poor linearity or double imaging.

The VL53L1X is the next-generation upgrade of the VL53L0X and supports ~30–4000 mm measurement distance with up to 50 Hz refresh rate. For shorter ranges, the VL6180X (5–200 mm) is recommended, which also includes a light sensor.

The breakout includes a 2.8V regulator and level shifting, making it safe for use with 3–5V systems such as Arduino UNO, Metro 328, Raspberry Pi, or Feather. It communicates via I2C with only two data lines plus power and ground.

STEMMA QT connectors are included for plug-and-play use, fully compatible with SparkFun Qwiic. This allows solder-free connections and daisy-chaining with other I2C devices. QT cable not included.

Specifications

• Measurement technology: Time of Flight (ToF) laser
• Precision: LIDAR-like
• Range: 30–4000 mm
• Update rate: up to 50 Hz
• Operating voltage and logic: 3–5 V (integrated 2.8 V regulator)
• Interface: I2C (ST API and Arduino library available)
• STEMMA QT / Qwiic compatible connectors

Package includes

• 1 × Adafruit VL53L1X ToF Breakout (assembled and tested)
• Header strip

Links

• Product page