The XHC1602-L20M416 achieves 0.0004 lux starlight imaging at ≤ 30 g via 4-Lane MIPI CSI-2, delivering wide-area night vision for UAV drone payloads and embedded ISR systems.
Operators deploying small ISR drones in low-illumination environments routinely face a capability gap: compact payload slots that cannot accommodate active illumination hardware, and mission profiles requiring usable imagery from dusk through to pre-dawn without alerting targets on the ground. Consumer-grade low-light sensors produce noisy, unusable output below 0.01 lux, and adding an infrared illuminator to a sub-300 g payload frequently exceeds mass or airspace regulatory constraints.
Passive Starlight Imaging Without Active Illumination
The XHC1602-L20M416C/B addresses this gap as a 4-Lane MIPI CSI-2 camera module rated to 0.0004 lux minimum illumination in monochrome mode and 0.001 lux in colour, operating without any active lighting source. The 4 mm F1.0 lens delivers a 78° horizontal field of view at 1280 × 1024 resolution, suited for wide-area observation from drone altitudes of 50 to 150 m. At ≤ 30 g and 1.2 W, the module fits within the payload and power budgets of lightweight gimbal systems and fixed-nose drone platforms without structural modification.
Integration with Drone and Robotics Platforms
The module interfaces with SoC and FPGA hosts via 4-Lane MIPI CSI-2 in YUV422 8-bit format, with UART at 115200 bps providing secondary ISP control for exposure, gain, 3D noise reduction, and image flip. The BSI CMOS sensor architecture with automatic gain control is optimised for sub-millilux environments, enabling smooth transitions between twilight and full-dark conditions without manual operator intervention. Frame rate options from 15 to 90 fps allow operators to trade temporal resolution against sensitivity depending on mission requirements and available light conditions.
Cross-Platform Deployment Compatibility
The XHC1602-L20M416C/B is validated for SoC and FPGA platforms supporting MIPI CSI-2, spanning loitering munition observation modules, autonomous ground vehicle vision systems, and border or perimeter surveillance nodes requiring impedance-controlled PCB routing and external environmental housing. The M16 lens mount supports 4 mm, 5 mm, and 8 mm focal length options, allowing system integrators to reuse the same host board design across close-range, medium-range, and extended-range variants without re-spinning the electrical interface.
Passive night imaging at drone altitudes is increasingly treated as a baseline ISR requirement rather than a premium feature. Modules delivering starlight-class sensitivity at sub-30 g mass with standard MIPI interfaces reduce integration cost and time-to-field for programs operating under tight size, weight, and power constraints in active procurement cycles.