Ouster

Ouster is a US maker of digital 3D LiDAR sensors based in San Francisco. Its spinning scanners are one of the more common "long-range senses" in mobile and delivery robots, and the company builds no end-product robots itself. In our component catalogue it sits beside Hesai and SICK.

The core of the range is the OS family, in three variants that differ in vertical field of view. The OS0 sees 90° (+45° to -45°), reaches 35 m on a 10% reflective target and 75 m on an 80% target; it is the scanner for tight interiors and mobile robots platforms. The OS1 in revision 8 is the middle of the range: 44° vertical, 90 m on a 10% target and 170 m on an 80% target, with zero minimum range. The OS2 (revision 6) narrows the field to 22.5° but reaches 80 m on a 10% target and 210 m on an 80% target, is rated IP68/69K and is meant for outdoor work.

The Rev8 figures are impressive for this class of sensor: 32, 64 or 128 channels, horizontal resolution configurable up to 4096 points, up to 40 Hz, more than 10 million points per second, a native colour RGB-D point cloud, a built-in IMU, an operating range of -40 to +85°C and shock tolerance up to 100 g. Data travels over gigabit Ethernet, and the maker states support for ROS 2 and NVIDIA Isaac Sim. For machines working beside people, the sensor is engineered for functional safety (ASIL-B, SIL 2, PL d) and has an on-sensor "3D Zone Monitor"; the standards context is covered in “Robot Safety Standards”.

In specific robots: according to our catalog the delivery robot Serve Robotics Gen 3 from Serve Robotics navigates with a 360° Ouster REV7 LiDAR alongside RGB and ToF cameras and GPS. In the description of the quadruped ANYbotics ANYmal D Ouster appears only as an example of a sensor class; we do not claim that ANYmal uses it.

The cost effect is simple: a 3D LiDAR is one of the more expensive line items in a mobile robot. An Ouster or Hesai scanner usually costs more than a depth camera, but it delivers range and sunlight immunity a camera cannot. That is why more expensive inspection and delivery platforms usually do not skimp on LiDAR, while cheaper designs look for substitutes. The difference feeds straight into “Humanoid Robot TCO: How to Calculate Total Cost” and the broader picture in “How Much Does a Humanoid Robot Cost in 2026”.

In Poland we know of no confirmed official Ouster distributor; purchases usually go through integrators or foreign distributors. Prices depend on the variant and channel count, and the maker does not list them in datasheets. For universities and start-ups building prototypes (universities) the sensor comes with the Ouster Studio and SDK tools.