Technical documents
TFA300 Series User Manual
TFA300 Series User Manual
TFA300 Series User Manual
Preface
This user manual contains the introduction, use and maintenance of TFA300 series LiDAR. Please read this manual carefully before formal use, and strictly follow the steps described in the manual during use to avoid product damage, property loss, personal injury or/and violation of product warranty terms. If you encounter problems that cannot be solved during use, please contact Benewake staff for assistance.
Contact Details Official website: https://ai.benewake.com/en/products/tfa300/ For technical questions, please contact: support@benewake.com For sales inquiries or to request brochure, please contact: bw@benewake.com Contact number: +86-135 8178 8602
Headquarter Address Benewake (Beijing) Co., Ltd. 3rd Floor, Haiguo Jiaye Sci-Tech Park, Haidian District, Beijing, China
Copyright Notice This User Manual is copyright © of Benewake. Please do not modify, delete or translate the description of this manual contents without the official written permission from Benewake.
Disclaimer The TFA300 series product is constantly being improved, and its specifications and parameters will undergo iterative changes. Please refer to the official website for latest version.
Contents
1. 2. Laser Safety Information Installation and Maintenance...........................................................................................................................................................................1................................................................................................................................................................1
3. Measuring principle Product Overview.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1.......................................................................................................................................................................................1
Technical Specifications Structural Appearance..............................................................................................................................................................................3...........................................................................................................................................................................2
4. Field of view Device Installation.......................................................................................................................................................................................................3........................................................................................................................................................................................4 Mechanical installation TFA300....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4..............................................................................................................................................................................4 Connector TFA300-L.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
TFA300 TFA300-L........................................................................................................................................................................................................6.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
5. UART Communication Communication Protocol.................................................................................................................................................................................7......................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Communication protocol Data Frame............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7............................................................................................................................................................... 7
CAN Communication Communication protocol.................................................................................................................................................................................. 8...............................................................................................................................................................8 Data Frame CAN networking.............................................................................................................................................................................................9....................................................................................................................................................................................9 Custom configuration instructions Protocol description.......................................................................................................................................................................... 9.....................................................................................................................................................9 Common configuration instructions Command editing.............................................................................................................................................................................. 11......................................................................................................................................10
1. Laser Safety Information The LiDAR contains IR and invisible laser spots. IR laser: Wavelength 905nm; Class 1 according to IEC 60825-1:2014, EN 60825-1:2014+A11:2021.
CAUTION! Use of controls, adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.
2. Installation and Maintenance
CAUTION! This laser product is classified as Class 1 during operational procedures. When the ranging feature is activated, the laser emitter of the LiDAR module may emit laser radiation, therefore, the LiDAR should NOT be aimed at humans and animals to ensure safety.
This product is designed and calibrated for installation with exposed lenses. If a protective window needs to be added in front of the lens, it is necessary to ensure the use of materials with high transmission at 905nm wavelength and anti-reflective coating. Avoid the presence of smoke and fog in the detection field. Avoid condensation. Avoid direct exposure to moisture and water. Do not use rough fabric or dirty towels or aggressive products to clean the laser lenses. Do not use a supply voltage higher than the maximum required in the specifications to power the product. Clean the laser lenses with compressed air. When needed, wipe the laser lenses only with a soft, clean microfiber cloth. Make sure the sensor is securely mounted to prevent false readings or damage. Only trained and qualified personnel may install, setup and repair the LiDAR.
3. Product Overview This chapter mainly introduces the measuring principle, technical specifications, structural description, equipment coordinates and field of view distribution of the TFA300 series LiDAR. Measuring principle TFA300 series is a typical Pulse Time of Flight (PToF) sensor. TFA300 series emits a narrow pulse laser, which is collimated by the transmitting lens, which enters the receiving system after being reflected by the measured target and is focused on the APD detector by the receiving lens. The time between the transmitted signal and the received signal is calculated through the circuit amplification and filtering, and the distance between TFA300 series and the measured target can be calculated through the speed of light.
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Pulsed time of flight
Technical Specifications
Performance Parameters
Model TFA300 TFA300-L Detection range ① 270 m @ 90% ref. 100 KLux 150 m @ 30% ref. 100 KLux 290 m @ 90% ref. 100 KLux 170 m @ 30% ref. 100 KLux
90 m @ 10% ref. 100 KLux 100 m @ 10% ref. 100 KLux
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Blind zone | ≤ 0.1 m |
| Accuracy ② | ± 10 cm (< 10 m) ， 1% (≥ 10 m) |
| Repeatability ② | ＜ 3 cm @ 1 σ |
| Distance resolution | 1 cm |
| Default frame rate | Up to 10,000 Hz (1 ~ 10,000 Hz configurable, default 50 Hz) |
| Ambient light resistance | 100 KLux |
Optical Parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Light source | EEL |
| Central wavelength | 905 nm |
| FoV | ＜ 0.5° |
| Eye safety | Class1 (IEC 60825-1:2014; EN 60825-1:2014+A11:2021) |
Mechanical and Electrical Parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Average power consumption ③ | ≤ 0.45 W |
| Peak current ③ | < 0.75 A |
| Power supply | DC 5 V ± 10% |
| Logical voltage | 3.3 V TTL |
| Connector | JST GH 1.25 mm 6 PIN |
| Operating temperature | - 20 ℃ ~ + 60 ℃ |
| Storage temperature | - 40 ℃ ~ + 80 ℃ |
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| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Protection level | IP67 NA |
| Typ. Dimensions ④ | 49.4 mm x 37.0 mm x 28.6 mm 32.0 mm x 30.2 mm x 20.2 mm |
| Typ. Weight ④ | 34.5 g (excluding cables) 10.5 g |
Communication Protocol
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Communication Interface | UART / CAN (Can be switched by command) |
| Baud rate | Default 115200 (Configurable) |
| Data bit | 8 |
| Stop bit | 1 |
| Parity | None |
Notes: 1. Measured when the whole light spot falls on the target;
2. 3. 100 KLux, 90% reflectivity target, measured when all light spots fall on the target object; Measured at a temperature of 25 ℃, 50 Hz;
4. consult the technical personnel of Benewake. The weight and size are typical values for reference only. For detailed tolerance parameters, please
Structural Appearance The overall appearance of the LiDAR is as shown in the figure below:
TFA300 series Appearance
Field of view The FoV (field of view) is the angle covered by the LiDAR sensor. The horizontal FoV is 0.3° and the vertical FoV is 0.1°.
FoV of TFA300 series
0.1 ° and 0.3 ° are theoretical values. Due to production, processing, and installation errors, there may be some deviation between the actual field of view and this theoretical value. If strict requirements are placed on the spot position, it is recommended to use an infrared camera to confirm the actual spot position before installing and fixing the LiDAR.
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4. Device Installation This section introduces the mechanical installation and connection information of TFA300 series LiDAR. Mechanical installation TFA300 The TFA300 has an IP67 waterproof housing. It is recommended to directly expose the front window of the TFA300 to the air for use. Do not add an additional transparent housing to cover the window, as this may cause crosstalk due to multiple reflections and affect the distance measurement performance.
On the back of the product, there are two positioning holes and two embedded-thread M2 mounting holes. Be mindful of the depth restrictions to prevent casing damage.
TFA300-L TFA300-L environments such as rain, snow, condensation, moisture, or dust, which may adversely affect the is an unprotected product without an enclosure . Avoid exposing it directly to protective measures LiDAR's photoelectric components based on the application scenario. . The customer is obligated to implement necessary
The product features reference, the recommended installation method is illustrated below: 4 mounting holes and 2 positioning holes for installation. For
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TFA300-L lenses are directly exposed to the air and is not equipped with a protective enclosure or front window lack waterproof or dustproof capabilities . Its transceiver . Do not expose the product directly to rain, snow, humidity, or environments with excessive dust protect the device, customers are advised to design and install custom protective structures . To better .
When designing a front window lens, avoid large gaps. Excessive spacing may cause ensure it tightly adheres to the LiDAR’s front housing optical crosstalk , which could compromise to ranging performance .
The TFA300 series utilizes a laser source with a central wavelength of 905 nm. It is recommended to use materials with a transmittance greater than 90% at 905 nm to minimize the impact of laser energy loss on ranging performance. Connector connector featuring a locking mechanism, which can be inserted into the 6-pin UART interface of a flight The TFA300 series products are equipped by default with a JST GH GHR-06V-S wire-to-board controller. If replacement with other connector types or connection methods is required, please refer to the following pinout for custom design and development.
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TFA300
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Cable color | Definition |
| Blue | UART_Rx |
| Brown | UART_Tx |
| White | CAN_L |
| Green | CAN_H |
| Red | VCC |
| Black | GND |
TFA300-L The connector model is 1.25 mm-7P, as shown in the following figure:
Pin No. Definition 1 Rx 2 Tx 3 CAN_L 4 CAN_H 5 VCC 6 GND 7 Not used
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5. Communication Protocol The TFA300 series supports dual UART and CAN communication interfaces. Users can connect the corresponding cables and connectors based on their needs, then activate the desired protocol output via command. By default, the device operates using the UART protocol. UART Communication
Communication protocol
UART Interface Wiring Diagram
To establish UART communication between two devices, connect the receiver’s RxD , and the receiver’s TxD to the transmitter’s RxD transmitter’s TxD . to the The TFA300 series employs a The communication protocol specifications are detailed in the table below: UART-LVTTL interface with an output level of LVTTL (3.3 V) .
UART Communication protocol details
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Character | Value |
| Baud rate | 115200 |
| Data bit | 8 |
| Stop bit | 1 |
| Parity | None |
Baud rate can be set to 9600, 14400, 19200, 38400, 56000, 57600, 115200, 128000, 230400, 256000, 460800, 500000, 512000, 600000, 750000, and 921600. If other value were set, TFA300 series will set it to 115200. Data Frame
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Each data frame under the UART interface contains of 9 bytes of hexadecimal values | . Both distance and signal strength are represented by distance and signal strength and consists 2 |
| bytes each, arranged in little-endian format | Standard Data Frame Format . For details, refer to the table below: |
| Data Byte 0 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
| Description Header Header | Distance Signal Strength Reserved Checksum |
| Value Typical 0x59 | 0x59 byte Low High byte byte Low High byte 0x00 0x00 Sum |
Notes on Signal Strength : Signal Strength The value depends on the indicates the intensity of the reflected light signal received by the LiDAR. reflectivity of the target and distance : strength value Lower reflectivity . or longer distance typically results in a lower signal
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Excessively low signal strength may degrade ranging accuracy or even trigger an "out-of-range" output if the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) falls below the required Recommendation threshold. : When signal strength is Set an appropriate signal strength threshold below 40 , the reliability of ranging data is significantly reduced. based on your application to assist in validating measurement validity.
High Frame Rate Data Frame Format
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Data Byte | 0 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Description Header | Header Distance Signal Strength |
| Typical Value | 0x20 0x20 Low byte High byte Low byte High byte |
Important : To achieve a Use the command to switch to the frame rate exceeding 6000 Hz 6-byte High Frame Rate Data Frame Format via UART: . Set the baud rate to 921600 to ensure data transmission integrity. CAN Communication The TFA300 series CAN interface supports the DroneCAN protocol. If needed, please enable it using custom configuration commands.
CAN Interface Wiring Diagram
Communication protocol
The CAN communication protocol of the TFA300 series can be customized according to customer needs, with adjustable CAN baud rate, ID, and frame format. The content of the agreement is as follows:
TFA300 Series CAN Interface Communication Protocol
Parameter Value Baud Rate 1 Mbps Receive ID - - Standard Frame Extended Frame : 0x3: 0x3 Transmit ID 0x3 Frame Format - - Transmitted Frames Received Frames : Supports both Standard and Extended Frames: Standard Frame (default)
The CAN interface baud rate setting only supports commonly used baud rates: 1000kps, 500kps, 250kps, 125kps, 100kps, 50kps, 20kps. If other values are set, the TFA300 series will set it to 1000kps.
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Data Frame
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Data frames under the CAN interface consist of measured distance and | signal strength 6 bytes of hexadecimal values , with the remaining bytes reserved. , containing |
| TFA300 CAN Communication Data Frame Format | |
| Data Byte 0 | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Description Distance | Distance Strength Signal Strength Signal Reserved Reserved |
| (Low) | (High) (Low) (High) |
| Value Typical DIST_L | DIST_H Strength_L Strength_H – – |
Notes on Signal Strength : Signal Strength The value depends on the indicates the intensity of the reflected light signal received by the LiDAR. reflectivity of the target and distance : strength value Lower reflectivity . or longer distance typically results in a lower signal Excessively low signal strength may degrade ranging accuracy or even trigger an "out-of-range" output if the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) falls below the required Recommendation threshold. : When signal strength is Set an appropriate signal strength threshold below 40 , the reliability of ranging data is significantly reduced. based on your application to assist in validating measurement validity. Important To achieve a : frame rate exceeding 6000 Hz via CAN, set the baud rate to 1 Mbps to ensure data transmission stability. CAN networking The CAN bus network operates via the CAN_H and CAN_L lines, enabling serial differential signal transmission between nodes. To minimize signal reflection and electrical interference, a 120-ohm termination resistor must be connected between CAN_H and CAN_L. The TFA300 series includes a built-in 120-ohm termination resistor, disabled by default. To simplify network setup, you can enable the built-in resistor via command only on devices located at the two ends of the CAN network. This eliminates the need for additional external termination resistors.
TFA300 series CAN networking
Custom configuration instructions Protocol description To accommodate diverse customer requirements, the operational parameters such as data format , TFA300 series frame rate , and more via command allows users to configure
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settings. avoid sending undeclared commands Always strictly follow the instructions in this manual . for product configuration and
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Data TFA300 Series Command Protocol Format | |
| Byte Definition | Description |
| Byte 0 Header | Fixed value: 0x5A (hexadecimal). |
| Byte 1 Len | Total length of the command frame in bytes |
| Byte 2 ID | Command identifier (unique for each function). |
| 3~N-2 Byte Payload | Command-specific parameters (variable length and interpretation). |
| Byte N-1 Check Sum | Lower 8 bits of the sum of the first Len-1 bytes |
Common configuration instructions Description Command Response Remarks settings Default Set Operating Frequency 5A 06 03 LL HH SU Same as command LL: lower 8 bits HH: higher 8 bits 50 Hz Configure UART: 5A 05 45 01 A5
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Transmission Protocol Type CAN: 5A 05 45 02 | 5A 05 45 00 A4 Save Configuration, changes take effect after reboot UART |
| A6 5A 08 06 H1 H2 H3 | Same as |
| Set UART Baud Rate H4 SU | command 115200 |
| Set 6-Byte Output Format 5A 05 05 20 84 | 5A 05 05 20 84 |
| Set 9-Byte Output Format 5A 05 05 01 65 | 5A 05 05 01 65 |
| Configure CAN 5A 08 50 H1 H2 H3 | 5A 05 50 00 AF ID= (H4<<24)+(H3<<16)+(H2<< 8)+H1 0x03 |
| Transmit ID H4 SU | Takes effect under CAN |
| Configure CAN 5A 08 51 H1 H2 H3 | 5A 05 51 00 B0 ID= (H4<<24)+(H3<<16)+(H2<< 8)+H1 0x03 |
| Receive ID H4 SU | Takes effect under CAN |
| Set CAN Baud Rate 5A 08 52 H1 H2 H3 H4 SU | 5A 05 52 00 B1 Baud rate= (H4<<24)+(H3<<16)+(H2<<8)+H1 1M |
| Set CAN Frame Type Standard: 5A 05 5D 00 BC | 5A 05 5D 00 |
| (Standard/Extended) Extended: 5A 05 | BC Standard |
| 5D 01 BD | ID=(H4<<24)+(H3<<16)+(H2<< |
| Configure Extended CAN Transmit ID 5A 08 93 H1 H2 H3 H4 SU | 5A 05 93 00 F2 8)+H1 0x03 |
Takes effect under CAN ID=(H4<<24)+(H3<<16)+(H2<<
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Configure Extended CAN Receive ID 5A 08 94 H1 H2 H3 H4 SU | 5A 05 94 00 F3 8)+H1 0x03 |
| Set CAN Termination | Takes effect under CAN |
| Resistor ON: 5A 05 91 01 F1 OFF: 5A 05 91 00 F0 5A 05 91 00 F0 | OFF |
(Enable/Disable) Enable/Disable ON: 5A 05 84 00 E3
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| DroneCAN Mode OFF: 5A 05 84 01 E4 5A 05 84 00 E3 | OFF |
| Configure DroneCAN Node ID 5A 05 95 NUM SU | 5A 05 95 00 F4 Range ： 1 ~ 127 (0x01 ~ 0x7F) 0x0D |
| Set Out-of-Range Output Value 5A 06 4F LL HH SU | 5A 05 4F 00 AE Out-of-Range Output Value = (HH << 8) + LL, unit: cm 30000 |
| Set Offset Calibration 5A 06 69 LL HH SU | 5A 05 69 00 C8 offset = (HH<<8) + LL, unit: cm 0 |
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| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Enable/Disable Data ON: 5A 05 07 01 67 OFF: 5A 05 07 00 | Same as ON |
| Output 66 | command |
| Single Trigger Command 5A 04 04 62 | No response Only “Disable Data Output” takes effect when |
| Save Current Configuration 5A 04 11 6F | 5A 05 11 00 70 |
| Restore Factory Defaults 5A 04 10 6E | 5A 05 10 01 70 |
Important always send the "Save Current Configuration" command : After modifying one or more parameters via configuration commands to write the changes to the device. , Otherwise, parameters will revert to the last saved values upon re-powering .
Command editing This section describes the Command Channel of TFA300 which is used to read and set TFA300’s working parameters. The command channel is available via all the interfaces. A standard TFA300 command consists of frame header, command length, command ID, parameters and checksum. Follow these steps to generate a command:
1. 2. Convert parameter from the decimal value to hexadecimal value Choose the right command ID and confirm its length
3. Fill the hexadecimal parameter into the command 4. Calculate the checksum and fill its low 8-bits into the command
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Example: Setting Baud Rate to 460800 1. Identify Command ID and Length | |
| and checksum). Assume the command ID is | 0x06 and total length is 8 bytes (including header |
| 2. 460800 Convert 460800 to Hexadecimal → 0x00 07 08 00 | (hex, little-endian). |
| 3. Construct the Command Frame | |
| Header Len | ID Param 1 Param 2 Param 3 Param 4 Checksum |
| 0x5A 0x08 | 0x06 0x00 0x08 0x07 0x00 |
4. Calculate Checksum Sum: 0x5A + 0x08 + 0x06 + 0x00 + 0x08 + 0x07 + 0x00 = 0x77 (lower 8 bits). Final Command: 0x5A 0x08 0x06 0x00 0x08 0x07 0x00 0x77
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