Microwave Motion Sensor (RCWL-0516)

This is an RCWL-0516 microwave sensor, an easy-to-use alternative to the classic PIR sensor we know and love. Why would you opt for a microwave sensor over PIR? The main reason is its ability to work inside a non-metallic enclosure or even through most walls, allowing you to create something like a room sensor with a clean finish that you'd be happy to have in the home (we have a great little enclosure for that here!). It also means you can use these in garden/outdoors projects, inside a waterproof enclosure. It's also much more compact than traditional PIR sensors, and that's always a good thing! Using microwave radar technology, this sensor detects motion in a range of 4 to 7 meters, making it ideal for a variety of projects such as human monitoring, pet detection, home automation and more! The output pin is 3.3V, and with an input of 4-28V, you can use this with your Raspberry Pi, Raspberry Pi Pico, Arduino and other similar microcontrollers. You can even solder a light-dependent resistor (LDR) to the two angled CDS pads to disable the sensor when it detects light - handy for night-only projects, such as garden wildlife (spot those pesky foxes!). Features

* Microwave radar technology: Uses Doppler radar for motion detection

* Detection range: Effective from 5 to 7 meters

* Wide operating voltage: 4 to 28V DC input range

* 3.3V digital output: Compatible with Raspberry Pi, Pico, Arduino and more!

* High sensitivity: Can detect motion through walls and non-metallic objects

* Compact design: Small form factor allows for easy integration into various projects

* Low power consumption: Efficient design - minimal power usage

* Option to add an LDR: Disables the sensor when it detects light, handy for night-only projects

Specifications

* Operating voltage: 4-28V DC

* Detection distance: ~5-7 meters

* Operating current: ~2.8 mA

* Output: 3.3V

* Dimensions: 36mm x 17mm

Resources

* DroneBot Workshop has a great article on these kinds of sensors

Raspberry Pi Usage For Raspberry Pi usage (and most microcontrollers) the relevant pins will be:

* VIN - Input voltage (4-28V). Connect this to your 5V line.

* GND - Connect this to a Ground pin

* OUT - Digital output pin, connect this to a GPIO pin as an input

All you need to do then is code your project to look for a HIGH signal on the pin you connected to OUT, the same as any other digital input. Other Pins

* CDS - Light sensor (LDR) pin, can be used for enable control

* 3V3 - This pin outputs 3.3V (it's not an input to power the module!) from an onboard regulator, offering 3.3V @ 100mA max

Package Contents

* 1 x RCWL-0516 Microwave Sensor