A word for battery-powered occupancy sensors
Battery-powered presence sensors have been a seemingly difficult thing to achieve for companies until recently. As mmWave is very battery hungry, it appears to have been a challenge for manufacturers to rely solely on mmWave for presence detection and use batteries for power.
The first-ever battery presence sensor I encountered was the Tuya ZG-204ZM. It was surprisingly a very good device, but too many variations quickly made it an unreliable purchase. You never knew which variant you were getting, as one was great and another was a dud. However, it was quickly superseded by the more capable and reliable Xiaomi XMOSB01XS occupancy sensor. That one uses BLE instead of Zigbee, which is a drawback by itself, but it’s very capable and reliable once setup correctly.
Now, Aqara is looking to set a new standard for battery-powered presence sensors with their CES 2025 announcement of the Aqara FP300 – a 5-in-1 combo device with PIR, mmWave, illuminance, temperature and humidity sensors.
The Dual-Sensor Technology Explained
One thing these devices have in common is that they use a combination of sensors instead of using solo mmWave. The operation logic is quite clever: The PIR sensor constantly monitors for motion and activates the mmWave sensor when movement is detected. The mmWave sensor then scans for finer movements, such as someone staying still, to ensure accurate static detection. Once no movement is detected, the mmWave sensor goes back to sleep, leaving the PIR sensor active to conserve energy. This cycle repeats for efficient operation and reduced false triggers.
As explained above, the FP300 also uses a dual-sensor approach to maximize performance. The PIR sensor acts as the first line of detection, continuously scanning for motion. When triggered, it activates the mmWave sensor, which specializes in identifying micro-movements, like someone remaining stationary in a room.
The AI Detection and Optimization Features
The Aqara FP300 utilizes advanced AI algorithms to enhance its motion detection capabilities. These algorithms enable the sensor to distinguish between human movements and other sources of motion, such as pets or robotic vacuums, thereby reducing false triggers.
By analyzing patterns and learning from the environment, the AI continuously improves detection accuracy over time, ensuring reliable performance in various settings. Additionally, the FP300’s AI-driven features include people counting, which provides real-time occupancy data by counting individuals entering or exiting a monitored area. This functionality is particularly useful for applications requiring precise occupancy monitoring and can be activated only through the Aqara Home app.
Seamless Integration and Energy Efficiency
The FP300 is designed to conserve energy without sacrificing functionality. As the mmWave sensor enters a low-power state when no motion is detected, it allows the Aqara FP300 to have a 2 year battery life while being powered by a pair of button cell CR2450 batteries.
Additionally, the FP300 integrates smoothly with leading smart home platforms, making it a versatile choice for users looking to upgrade their home automation systems. The Matter-over-Thread capability means the device will onboard seamlessly with Home Assistant and utilize the occupancy features without any dependencies. The device is actually both Zigbee & Thread ready and users will be able to pick their protocol.
It’s worth noting that most likely any advanced configuration will have to be again done in the Aqara app (like it was for the FP2). This will include detection and exclusion zones, sensitivity settings and anything similar. Matter is not yet mature enough to handle these types of parameters on its own, across third-party ecosystems.
Aqara FP300 Technical Specification
The newly announced Aqara FP300 Presence Sensor is set to have the following specification:
- Name: Aqara FP300
- Sensors: PIR, mmWave, Illuminance, Temperature, Humidity
- Battery: 2×CR2450
- Connectivity: Thread, Zigbee, Bluetooth
- Dimensions: 42×42×50mm (1.65×1.65×1.97 in.)
- Operating Temperature: 0°C ~ 40°C (32°F ~ 104°F)
- Operating Humidity: 0 ~ 95% RH, no condensation
Other CES 2025 News by Aqara
Aqara’s CES 2025 appearance showcased a bunch of other smart devices as well. Here the full list of devices with a short explanation, with the FP300 being the most interesting for SmartHomeScene readers:
- Presence Multi-Sensor FP300: A battery-powered sensor equipped with PIR, mmWave, light, temperature, and humidity sensors, offering precise presence detection and environmental monitoring to automate home settings effectively.
- Panel Hub S1 Plus: A 6.9-inch touchscreen panel that replaces traditional light switches, allowing centralized control of smart home devices, including lights, thermostats, and blinds. It also functions as a Zigbee hub and Matter bridge, facilitating integration with various smart home ecosystems.
- Touchscreen Dial V1: A compact controller featuring a 1.32-inch touchscreen and a tactile rotary dial for precise adjustments of connected devices, such as dimming lights or controlling shades.
- Touchscreen Switch S100: A smart switch combining physical buttons with a 1.3-inch touchscreen, supporting Thread, Wi-Fi, and Matter protocols, enabling versatile control of smart home devices and scenes.
- Climate Sensor W100: An updated climate sensor featuring an integrated display showing room temperature, humidity, and more, with programmable buttons to control connected devices, including thermostats.
- Hub M100: A compact smart home hub that includes Wi-Fi, Thread, and Zigbee connectivity, acting as a Thread border router and Matter bridge to integrate Aqara’s Zigbee devices with Matter-compatible ecosystems.
- Doorbell Camera Hub G410: An updated video doorbell offering 2K video quality, a 4:3 aspect ratio, and end-to-end encryption. It incorporates an mmWave sensor for enhanced person detection and functions as a comprehensive smart home hub with dual-band Wi-Fi, Thread, and Zigbee radios.
The FP300 sounds perfect, while I somewhat fear the price, still shut up and take my money
I wonder which brand and model of mmWave sensor they integrated into the FP300. It really needs to be one of the best in terms of low power consumption.
I would say the actual implementation is much more important for power efficiency than the sensor.
Remains to be seen.
wonder if the FP300 is basically the Xiaomi sensor… hope it has a better sensor than that though. I get false negatives when lying down or staying still reading.
The performance of the Bluetooth version was hit or miss for me. Sometimes it wouldn’t detect at all. Sometimes it would get stuck at detected. Hesitant to try the new versions.