VL53L0X Time-of-Flight Distance Sensor
Budget time-of-flight laser distance sensor. Measures 30mm to 1000mm with ±3% accuracy. Compact and affordable.
Say it to PAL
“How far away is that?”
The code PAL writes
const dist = await p.read('qwiic-vl53l0x', 'distance');
p.log(`Distance: ${dist}mm`);“Tell me when something comes within 30 cm.”
The code PAL writes
p.onSensorChange('qwiic-vl53l0x', 'distance', (dist) => {
if (dist < 300) p.notify('Object within 30cm');
});
await p.waitUntilStopped();When to pick it
Budget distance sensor for short range (up to 1m). Choose VL53L1X for longer range (up to 4m). Good for presence detection, tap gestures, and fill-level sensing where 1m is sufficient.
Good to know
- Max range is 1 meter — for longer distances use VL53L1X (4m).
- Narrow 25° field of view — measures a small spot, not a wide area.
About it
The VL53L0X is a compact Time-of-Flight (ToF) laser distance sensor providing millimeter-resolution measurements from 30mm to 1 meter. It uses a 940nm VCSEL laser source that is invisible and eye-safe. More affordable and compact than the VL53L1X, but with shorter maximum range. Ideal for simple distance measurement, object presence detection, and tap/gesture sensing. The I2C address is configurable via software (default 0x29).
Where to buy
Facts
Tested
It is in our catalog, but nobody has checked it on a real board. It may not work yet. Its driver is written, but it has not been tested on hardware yet.
I2C address
The VL53L0X Time-of-Flight Distance Sensor answers at I2C address 0x29. Its address can be changed in software.
Current
19 mA
The catalog lists a typical draw of 19 mA for the Distance Sensor, copied from the maker’s description and not measured by Palpable.
Board size
25.4 × 17.78 mm
The Distance Sensor board measures 25.4 × 17.78 mm and stands 4.6 mm tall with its parts. It has 4 mounting holes. These dimensions are from the maker’s mechanical drawing.
Chip
VL53L0X
Its sensor is the STMicroelectronics VL53L0X.
Free to reuse
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This record was last changed on October 26, 2026.