2MP Mini USB Camera (15×15 mm) for UAV/Robotics/Embedded Integration – Model: UC-501

Ultra-small 2MP UVC camera in 15×15 mm housing. A small Linux UVC compliant camera 1080p with interchangeable lenses. Ideal for robotics, kiosks, and embedded AI integration

Product Overview

The UC-501 is a 2MP miniature USB camera for integration in space-constrained industrial systems. With its 15×15 mm metal housing and UVC compliance, it operates as a small Linux UVC compliant camera 1080p across Windows, Linux, Jetson, and Raspberry Pi platforms.
Compared with board-level prototypes, this low power mini USB camera delivers reliability and robustness with proper housing, EMI shielding, and strain-relieved cabling. It’s optimized for robot vision USB camera use cases, robotics embedded USB camera modules, and as an embedded camera for kiosk solutions where compact size and stable performance matter.

Novel 15x15mm Miniature Low light embedded USB camera UC-501 is a very small, compact 1080P Micro industrial camera, often used in embedded systems, industrial machine & equipment, android tv box, Android tablet & smartphone, robotics where space is limited. These cameras typically use a USB interface (USB 2.0 or Type-C or Micro USB) and can be found with various interchangeable m12 lens and different usb wires available. 

 

Compact Micro USB Camera is ideal for various Industrial Embedded Vision

it can be embedded in the following typical devices:

industrial robots, mobile robots, educational robots, drones, medical equipment, smart terminals, IOT, ATMs,

smart home products, industrial testing tools

 

 

Key Features:
Extremely Small Size: The 15x15mm dimensions make it ideal for integration into tight spaces such as wearable devices, mini robots, drones, or handheld terminals

Night or low-light performance makes it suitable for indoor or partially lit environments. 

Plug-and-Play USB Interface
USB 2.0/UVC compliant — no driver required on Windows/Linux/Android
Easily integrates with Jetson Nano, Raspberry Pi, industrial PC, and embedded systems. 

Industrial-Grade Stability
Long-term continuous operation supported
Optional shielding and EMI-resistant design for noisy environments

Use Cases Highlight
Mini embedded smart terminal camera

Drone FPV vision module

Android tablet/smartphone external usb-c camera OTG (micro external usb camera for android)

Robot sensor vision module

external usb video camera for youtube vloggers & living streaming & middle screen usb webcam

compact usb camera for digital electronic price computing scale

Applications: Used in industrial automation, video conference, laser engraver, document capture, 3D printer, medical devices, machine vision systems.

 

Use Scenarios

• Industrial Inspection: PCB, electronic components, machine parts.

• Robotics & Cobots: Navigation, object recognition, precision tasks.

• Drones & UAVs: Lightweight module for aerial imaging & FPV.

• IoT Devices: Smart kiosks, terminals, vending machines.

• Medical & Research: Compact vision module for instruments

 

compressed video screenshot of NO DISTORTION MICRO USB CAMERA 2MP

 

Main technical Parameter

Model No.	UC-501-2MP
Sensor	CMOS 1/2.9” 2MP
Resolution	1920*1080P@30FPS
Output	USB2.0,USB-A / TYPE-C / Micro USB
FOV	3°~230° optional
Focus	Manual
Photo Format	MJPG
Video Output	MJPG/YUY2
White balance	Auto
Microphone	Built in Microphone
Dimension	Holder: 15*15mm
Length of cable	5cm~10M, standard 2.5M
Power	5V / 130mA, 5V / 90mA max
System	WIN7/8/10/Android/Apple Mac/Linux
Material	Plastic camera with metal lens
Temperature	-10~+70℃

Note:  You can select or interchangeable various EFL following M12 lens models to extend and meet your personalized requirement

other EFL Replaceable m12 lens available as following

A1, pinhole m12 lens

EFL 2.1/2.8/3.7/5/6/7/8/10/15/20/22/25/30/35/45/70mm

A2,  Flat normal m12 lens

1.08/1.39/1.44/1.56/1.7/1.8/2.1/2.8/3.6/4/6/8/9.9/12/16/25/50mm

 

Integration Notes

• Works seamlessly as a small Linux UVC compliant camera 1080p with GStreamer and FFmpeg.
• Perfect as a miniature USB camera for integration into drones, kiosks, and industrial inspection tools.
• Provides excellent balance between low power mini USB camera operation and high-quality 1080p output.

 

Key Advantage

Core Benefit 1: Extreme Miniaturization - The compact size of 15mm x 15mm allows for easy embedding into any space-constrained equipment such as robots, medical devices, automated production lines, etc.

Core Advantage 2: Industrial-Grade Reliability - Designed for harsh industrial environments, ensuring stable operation for a long time, shock and dust resistance.

Core Advantage 3: Plug and Play, Efficient Integration - Standard Micro USB interface, no need for complex drivers, compatible with multiple operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Android, etc., greatly shortening your development cycle.

Core Advantage 4: High-Precision Imaging - 2MP HD resolution provides clear, noise-free images for precise measurement and quality inspection.

 

what difficult problems it can settle in your Embedded Vision Systems?

Problems Solved:

• Tight Integration Requirements: Embedded systems often have extremely limited board space and power budgets. The 15x15mm size and potentially low power consumption (typical for micro USB cameras) are ideal.
• Optimized Performance for Specific Tasks:
  • Custom FOV: The interchangeable M12 lenses allow developers to precisely select the focal length and FoV needed for a specific embedded application (e.g., a narrow FoV for license plate recognition, a wide FoV for autonomous navigation).
  • Image Quality Tuning: With a 2MP sensor, basic image processing can be done on the embedded system. The choice of M12 lens also directly impacts image quality, resolution, and light transmission.
• Connectivity and Power Management: Custom USB interfaces and cables provide direct connectivity to embedded processors (e.g., Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, custom ARM boards) and enable optimized power delivery without bulky connectors or long, unwieldy standard cables. This is crucial for battery-powered or space-constrained devices.
• Rapid Prototyping and Development: The standard M12 mount allows developers to quickly test different lenses during the prototyping phase without changing the entire camera module, accelerating development cycles.
• Software Integration: USB (especially UVC compliant cameras) often has good driver support across various embedded Linux and Android distributions, simplifying software integration.

Special Demands Met:

• AI Vision and Machine Learning at the Edge: Used as the visual input for small form-factor AI/ML applications like object detection, facial recognition, or gesture control in drones, robotics, smart kiosks, or autonomous vehicles.
• IoT Devices: Integrating vision into "smart" devices for data collection or basic automation.
• Drones and UAVs: Essential for navigation, mapping, surveillance, or specialized payloads where size, weight, and power (SWaP) are critical considerations. The 110-degree FOV is often beneficial for aerial perspectives.
• Robotics: Providing visual feedback for navigation, obstacle avoidance, and manipulation tasks in compact robots.
• Portable Devices: For handheld diagnostic tools, remote inspection tools, or specialized mobile devices requiring imaging capabilities.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: is it one lower power camera in so compact design?
yes, its normal power consumption is less than 90mAh

Q2: Can it be customized?
Yes – resolution, lens, cable length and type, interface type, housing and relative bracket can be tailored.

Q3: What industries use this module most?
Robotics, drones, inspection, IoT, AI scale, industrial equipment and embedded vision devices.

Q4: What operating systems is this camera module compatible with?

Our module is compatible with Windows, Linux, Android, and embedded systems, supporting UVC protocol without additional drivers

Q5. Is this suitable for robots?
Yes. It is widely used as a robot vision USB camera and robotics embedded USB camera in AMR, AGV, and cobots.

 

Q6. Can it be embedded in kiosks?
Absolutely. Its 15×15 mm housing makes it ideal as an embedded camera for kiosk systems.

 

Why Choose Novel Electronics

• Proven supplier of miniature USB camera for integration for EU/US industrial OEMs
• Flexible customization for lens, housing, and cables
• Reliable partner for compact USB camera for AI scale and robotics projects
• Support team provides firmware profiles and SDK snippets for fast integration

 

Case study & customer's feedback or comments

Success Story 1 (Industrial Automation):

"This camera perfectly solves the problem of tight space on our automated production line, and its high stability greatly reduces our maintenance costs." - John D., CEO of an Automation Company

 

Success Story 2 (Medical Device):

"We have been looking for a camera for medical devices for a long time, and its miniaturization and high-precision imaging capabilities have completely exceeded our expectations." - Maria S., Product Manager for a Medical Device Company

 

"The 15×15mm camera gave us a compact yet powerful imaging solution. Easy integration and superb clarity.” – Product Manager, USA

 

"We needed distortion-free imaging in tight enclosures. This module delivered perfectly.” – Engineer, Germany

 

 

UC-501-2MP usb camera with 16mm telephoto Lens

 

Regarding its more product application and technical specification, please source " UC-501" or "15*15mm" in our homepage

 

 

 

Support custom designed PCB shape and size, camera housing and cable and interface.