The need for constant power via USB-C is virtually the only caveat to the FP2, since many of the less capable motion sensors on the market use battery power, which makes it easy to place them exactly where you want them. The need for wired power means you just have to think a little more carefully about where you plan to use the FP2. The IWR6843 is also a 60-64GHz rated radar sensor, similar to the one in the Aqara FP1. However, this is boasted as an extremely capable sensor, up to 10 person detection in a single room so even though it’s similar on paper, it should perform better than the German-made sensor in the FP1. The other side of the box is largely just legal text, but you’ll also notice a Bluetooth logo. I suspect that a Bluetooth chip has been put in place for future Matter support, as Matter (and Thread) devices usually utilise Bluetooth for initial setup (commissioning). The Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 is also capable of detecting up to five target people simultaneously, without interfering with each other. This means that even in a multi-person household, the sensor can accurately respond to the presence of different individuals in different zones. For example, if someone is in the living room watching TV, and another person is in the bedroom reading, the Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 can trigger automation based on the position of each person, creating a truly personalized and convenient smart home experience for everyone.

The Aqara FP2 isn't just aware that rooms have multiple functions – it takes things a step further by detecting up to five people and accurately determining their location within a room. Talk about next-level intelligence! One of the standout features of the Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 is its zone positioning capability. Unlike traditional PIR infrared motion sensors, which monitor a room as a whole, the FP2 can be divided into up to 30 small zones, such as a sofa, bed, or desktop. This allows for highly precise automation based on the specific zones you define. For example, you can set up different automation conditions for different zones, such as turning off lights and adjusting temperature when no one is in the living room, while keeping the lights on and temperature comfortable in the bedroom. Multi-person Detection: Smart Automation for Everyone The Aqara app allows users to configure the FP2 sensor for various room environments, creating zones and areas for the sensor to detect. Zooming into the main PCB, you can see the main ESP32 chip powering the Aqara FP2. It’s an ESP32-WROOM-32U [ Datasheet] model with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. The main difference between 32U and the more common 32D model is the external antenna connector, which boost connectivity and reception strength. The Aqara FP2 can be configured in three separate modes, which you can subsequently fine-tune for optimum results:

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The app also enables users to set ignore zones for areas with continuous movement that should not trigger the sensor. This is useful for example for ceiling fans, curtains or plants that can occasionally move and trigger the sensor. Placing an interference source over the plant I was surprised the sensor pinpointed my exact location while I was in the chair. The person symbol kept hovering while I was moving around and If I tried sitting completely still it stopped moving. This is a very capable sensor! Moving around the room, it gave me the following results: In addition to its presence detection capabilities, the Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 also features fall detection and alerts. When installed on the ceiling, the FP2 can detect if someone falls in a room and notify you immediately. This can be especially useful for elderly individuals or those with medical conditions, providing an extra layer of safety and peace of mind. The FP2 has a range of 2 meters in radius, and the accuracy of fall detection is over 98%, making it a reliable safety feature for your smart home. A total game Changer You can create a template or edit the existing area The app is loaded with a few preconfigured templates to get you started Loading a Sitting Room Template Loading an Office template Creating your own template

I am pleased with the performance and capabilities of the Aqara FP2 Human Presence Sensor. I did not expect a company to listen to it’s consumers, but apparently Aqara did, at least to an extent. I think the one thing that could be a possible bone of contention is the price, but of course, any company is free to set the price they see fit, and we as consumers are not obliged to buy them if we don’t like the price, so I can’t really see an argument in this instance. Before anyone says “Well, you got yours free!” I’d like to remind you that a “free” product comes with a lot of testing, video editing, and writing, so I’m not sure it could truly be considered free – all that aside, I still paid for my Chinese model with my own money. There are other options for occupancy sensors, like the FP1, or the LifeSmart Presence sensor (video HERE, review HERE), although both of these options require a hub, as they utilise Zigbee.As the official UK distributor of Aqara smart home products, Smart & Secure Centre are thrilled to announce the launch of the Aqara Presence Sensor FP2. This innovative smart home sensor is powered by cutting-edge millimeter-wave radar technology, offering unparalleled accuracy and stability in detecting human presence, even with slight movements. With its advanced features such as zone positioning, multi-person detection, ultra-high precision, and integration with popular smart home ecosystems, the Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 is set to revolutionize the way you automate and secure your home. Zone Positioning:The Aqara app breaks the FP2’s detection range into a grid of 320 separate squares. You can select and group these squares to create zones. These zones can in turn be used to trigger automations. Each zone is also exposed to HomeKit as a separate presence sensor. Create Scenes to control multiple accessories. For example, add a Scene to turn on multiple lights and fans; The Presence Sensor entity is there and fully usable as well as the illuminance reading. The identify button simply blinks the LED on the Aqara FP2. What even neater, is that you can add more zones and presence templates which will be automatically exposed in Home Assistant. In the Aqara Home App, create a few more other detection zones and they will be added as separate entities in Home Assistant:

At this point, it’s still early to conclude what is the best way to integrate the Aqara FP2 in Home Assistant. Considering the device has an ESP32 board, perhaps ESPHome development is possible somewhere in the future. I feel like if someone manages to port the sensor in ESPHome, it’s going to take a considerable effort to implement everything correctly, especially the detection zones. Within these specific zone automations, you then get the granular options found in the previous menu. It’s quite mind-boggling what you can do, although you do need to bear in mind this is all for the benefit of other devices in the Aqara app – which are only going to be Aqara devices in the main, so you can forget about using these with non-Aqara devices outside of this ecosystem. About 6 months later, and it’s time to teardown and review it’s successor, the Aqara FP2 Human Presence Sensor. Unlike the Zigbee FP1, this one is ESP32-based which means Wi-Fi + Bluetooth. Let’s see what it’s got and how it compares to it’s predecessor.One advantage the FP1 has over it’s successor is that it’s swivel rotates for a full circle or 360°. While the FP2 still has a versatile mounting swivel with a powerful magnet, it does not rotate at all. Here is an image showing the logo upside down because it can’t be rotated. Thanks to its powerful hardware, the FP2 sensor will be able to support much more cutting-edge features in the future such as posture detection, which not only recognizes falls but also other postures including standing, sitting, and lying. Sleep monitoring and respiratory rate detection capabilities could also be achieved via the FP2 in the future. These advanced features will be added to the FP2 sensor via future OTA updates 4. You can see the small illuminance sensor at the top and pairing button at the bottom of the PCB. Aqara Home App Initialization The device should get auto discovered if the default Home Assistant config is enabled. If not, navigate to Settings > Devices & Services > + Add Integration > Apple > HomeKit Controller. Select the sensor at the prompt: