MicroVision has launched its MOVIA™ Air product family, a new generation of lightweight lidar-based sensing solutions designed to provide real-time 3D environmental awareness for autonomous aerial systems, including defence drones, unmanned aircraft, and commercial UAV platforms.
The portfolio includes MOVIA Air, a compact lidar sensor optimised for UAV integration, and MOVIA Air Plus, which combines lidar sensing with onboard processing and optional camera integration to generate three-dimensional maps, support autonomous navigation, and enable real-time decision-making during missions.
Lightweight lidar enables 3D mapping and autonomous flight
MOVIA Air is based on MicroVision’s existing MOVIA lidar platform but has been redesigned specifically for aerial platforms. According to the company, the airborne version reduces weight by approximately 50% compared with the industrial variant while maintaining sensing performance.
The system uses embedded algorithms to process lidar data for applications including object detection, tracking, autonomous following, landing zone identification and environmental measurement. Its lidar-based sensing allows UAVs to build a detailed understanding of their surroundings beyond traditional camera-based perception.
MOVIA Air Plus adds onboard edge processing and perception software, transforming raw lidar data into real-time 3D environmental intelligence. The system can generate live three-dimensional maps, support simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) navigation, combine lidar and camera inputs through sensor fusion, and provide autonomous platforms with continuous awareness of terrain, obstacles and nearby objects.
“Autonomous aerial systems require more than imagery. They require the ability to understand their surroundings and make decisions in real time,” said Glen DeVos, Chief Executive Officer of MicroVision. “The MOVIA Air product family gives customers the flexibility to deploy a lightweight lidar sensor alone or a lightweight lidar solution that comes complete with the addition of a perception solution with onboard intelligence.”
Defence demonstrations target autonomous ISR and mission support
MicroVision is targeting defence applications including military reconnaissance, ISR missions, security operations and autonomous aerial platforms. The company highlighted that lidar technology can provide perception capabilities independent of lighting conditions, allowing systems to operate in challenging environments.
MOVIA Air Plus will be publicly demonstrated at the upcoming Joint Interagency Field Experimentation (JIFX) event.
The company is also evaluating the technology with early partners in industrial drone delivery, resource exploration and autonomous aerial applications. Later this year, MicroVision plans to demonstrate integration between MOVIA Air and its longer-range IRIS lidar sensors to combine aerial and ground-based 3D perception into a unified operational picture.