California-based sensor company Aeva has unveiled Omni, a compact short-range 4D LiDAR sensor designed for physical AI systems that need precise awareness of their immediate surroundings.
Omni provides a full 360-degree horizontal field of view and a 90-degree vertical field of view, targeting one of the main weaknesses of close-range sensors: blind zones around machines. The system is built for autonomous vehicles, robots, drones, warehouse equipment, and defense platforms.
The sensor has an operating range of up to 80 meters (262 feet) and is housed in an 85-millimeter compact enclosure, making it suitable for tight integration into mobile platforms.
FMCW LiDAR Measures Position and Speed at the Same Time
At the core of Omni is Aeva’s frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LiDAR technology. Unlike traditional time-of-flight systems, FMCW allows the sensor to measure both distance and velocity simultaneously.
This means Omni can detect not just where objects are, but how fast they are moving, a key requirement for collision avoidance, navigation, and real-time decision making.
FMCW also improves resistance to interference from sunlight and other nearby LiDAR systems, which is critical for outdoor or multi-sensor environments.
Built for Robotics, Vehicles, Drones, and Smart Infrastructure
Omni is designed as a plug-and-play perception layer for AI-driven platforms, including:
- Autonomous road and off-road vehicles.
- Autonomous mobile robots and warehouse machines.
- Drones and unmanned aerial systems.
- Unmanned ground vehicles.
- Smart infrastructure and defense systems.
South Korean electronics company LG Innotek is responsible for hardware integration, manufacturing, and quality control, supporting Aeva’s transition from development to large-scale production.
IP68 and IP69K Protection for Harsh Operating Conditions
Aeva engineered Omni for continuous operation in demanding environments.
The sensor meets IP68 and IP69K standards, allowing it to function in:
- Heavy rain and dust.
- Fog and humidity.
- High-pressure industrial washdowns.
This makes Omni suitable for logistics hubs, industrial sites, outdoor robots, and defense applications where reliability is critical.
According to Aeva co-founder and CTO Mina Rezk, the goal is to provide high-resolution perception across an exceptionally wide field of view, enabling safer and more capable autonomous systems across multiple industries.
Pilot Programs Start in 2026, Full Production in 2027
Aeva plans to begin early customer pilot programs in the second half of 2026. Full-scale production of Omni is targeted for 2027, following validation with early adopters across mobility, robotics, and industrial automation.
No additional technical specifications beyond range, field of view, size, and FMCW operation have been publicly confirmed so far.
About Aeva
Aeva is a US-based technology company specializing in next-generation 4D LiDAR sensors built on FMCW technology. The company focuses on perception systems for autonomous vehicles, robotics, industrial automation, and defense, aiming to combine distance, velocity, and high-resolution spatial data into a single sensing platform.
