Sandia National Laboratories has completed an evaluation phase of the 4D lidar technology developed by lidar technology company Aeva Technologies. Following the selection of Aeva’s technology, Sandia is planning to test Aeva’s technology at a U.S. nuclear reactor site to evaluate its performance to enhance security and assess threat detection capabilities — including for potential intrusions in the perimeter areas of the facility, such as water intakes that are important for safe reactor operation. Sandia National Laboratories will begin testing Aeva’s lidar technology for use in threat detection at nuclear reactor sites. Courtesy of Aeva Technologies. According to Sandia Labs technical staff member JR Russell, Aeva's lidar provides a tool to detect potential threats in environments where traditional sensors often fall short. “Its ability to operate reliably in darkness, glare, and complex weather conditions makes it well-suited for our mission,” Russell said. Aeva’s 4D lidar can be deployed to detect hard-to-see waterborne objects, such as partially submerged or low-contrast intrusions, at distances up to 35 m. Powered by Aeva’s frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) technology, the system provides precise 3D positioning with simultaneous velocity data, enabling faster more reliable threat identification. According to James Reuther, chief engineer at Aeva, the completed evaluation represents a milestone both for the ongoing program as well as the broader adoption of Aeva's 4D lidar across infrastructure security. In the commercial market, the company recently released a FMCW laser displacement sensor, designed for high-volume and inline industrial automation applications, in May.
