A mini 15×15mm USB camera delivering clean 2MP imaging with stable UVC output for compact embedded systems. Multiple M12 lens options and flexible customization support a wide range of OEM design needs
Goobuy UC-501 USB Camera is a 15×15mm 2MP micro vision module delivering UVC plug-and-play imaging for digital signage players, robotic vision systems, AI retail kiosks, and industrial edge computing devices.
With its compact 15×15mm form factor, the Goobuy UC-501 USB Camera integrates a 2MP sensor, UVC-compliant output and M12 lens flexibility to support diverse embedded vision designs. Its stable imaging performance and customizable hardware options make it suitable for OEM developers needing reliable camera modules for compact systems.
The Goobuy UC-501 is a low power 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, industrial AI box, Edge AI device, medical equipment, smart AI retail 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 AI box devices, mini robots, Kiosk, or handheld terminals
Night or low-light performance makes it suitable for indoor or partially lit environments.
Plug-and-Play USB Interface
USB-C/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 for AI retail terminal
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.
Sensor fusion modules in industrial AI boxes and compute nodes, Vision-enabled embedded controllers
Robotics & Cobots: Navigation, object recognition, precision tasks. (read its relative technical blogo here UC-501 15*15mm Low-Power USB Camera Modules for Robotics )
Compact computing devices with external camera support （ Edge AI device）include AI digital signage players box
IoT Devices: Smart kiosks, terminals, vending machines and other AI retail terminal
AI weighting scale: Compact vision UVC module for scale (read its relative technical blog here The Heart of AI Scales: An Embedded Vision Solution)
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℃ |
Looking for the Datasheet? Scroll to the footer to download the PDF free.
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
Connect camera via USB
Open any UVC video application
Configure resolution and exposure settings
Load into your CV or AI pipeline (OpenCV, GStreamer, ROS, custom SDKs)
Optimize for inference performance on edge devices
The Goobuy UC-501 is suited for rapid prototyping, system validation, and long-term product deployment.
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.
Engineering Challenges Solved by Goobuy UC-501 USB Camera
1. Space & Power Constraints (SWaP Optimization)
The Challenge: Embedded devices like nano-drones, wearable cameras, and handheld medical tools have strict limits on Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP). Standard 32mm/38mm cameras are simply too big and power-hungry.
The Solution: With a tiny 15x15mm footprint and ultra-low power consumption (<90mA), the UC-501 fits effortlessly into tight mechanical envelopes while extending battery life for portable IoT devices.
2. Optical Flexibility for Specific AI Tasks
The Challenge: Fixed-lens webcams limit AI performance. For example, License Plate Recognition (LPR) needs a narrow FOV, while VSLAM navigation needs a wide FOV.
The Solution: The standard interchangeable M12 lens mount allows developers to swap optics (from 40° telephoto to 200° fisheye) during prototyping, perfectly matching the sensor's field of view to the specific algorithm requirement without changing the camera board.
3. Cross-Platform Driver Compatibility
The Challenge: Getting proprietary camera drivers to work on diverse ARM-based platforms (like Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, or Rockchip Android boxes) often leads to "integration hell."
The Solution: The UC-501 is strictly UVC (USB Video Class) compliant, ensuring instant plug-and-play video streaming on Linux, Android, Windows, and macOS without kernel compilation or custom drivers.
4. Internal Connectivity for OEMs
The Challenge: Standard external USB-A cables are bulky, rigid, and difficult to route inside compact device housings.
The Solution: Goobuy offers custom internal cabling options (including 4-pin JST connectors, Micro-USB, or stripped wires) with precise lengths, enabling secure, vibration-resistant connections directly to your mainboard.
Special Demands Met:
Q1. How is the Goobuy UC-501 USB Camera different from generic mini USB cameras?
The Goobuy UC-501 USB camera is a 15×15mm industrial micro vision module built for embedded systems, offering stable UVC output, interchangeable M12 lenses, consistent 2MP imaging and OEM-grade customization. Generic mini USB cameras typically lack optical flexibility, long-term stability and integration support.
Q2. Does the UC-501 require drivers on Windows, Linux, Android or Raspberry Pi?
No. The UC-501 is a UVC-compliant USB camera and works plug-and-play on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, Raspberry Pi and most edge-AI platforms without installing any drivers.
Q3. What platforms support the Goobuy UC-501 USB camera for AI or computer-vision workloads?
It is compatible with NVIDIA Jetson Nano/NX/Orin, Raspberry Pi 4/5, x86 Linux PCs, ARM industrial PCs and Android terminals. The UVC interface ensures compatibility with OpenCV, GStreamer, ROS and common AI vision pipelines.
Q4. Can the 15×15mm form factor fit into compact or fully enclosed device housings?
Yes. The Goobuy UC-501 USB camera is specifically designed for tight mechanical spaces such as thin front panels, compact embedded boxes and integrated vision modules where conventional USB cameras do not fit.
Q5: What is the power consumption? Can it run on battery?
Yes. The Goobuy UC-501 USB camera is optimized for low power, drawing < 90mA @ 5V in typical operation. This makes it perfect for battery-powered drones and mobile robots.
Q6. Is the UC-501 suitable for long-term continuous operation in commercial or industrial systems?
Yes. The camera uses an optimized image pipeline, stable UVC output and consistent hardware performance intended for 24/7 embedded operation in commercial or industrial environments.
Q7. Does the Goobuy UC-501 USB camera support low-light imaging for indoor or mixed lighting conditions?
Yes. Its 2MP sensor and tuned exposure pipeline provide clear imaging in 0.1–0.5 lux conditions, making it suitable for retail floors, warehouses, kiosks and indoor embedded systems.
Q8. What customization options are available for OEM integration?
Goobuy supports PCB shape adjustments, cable length modifications, connector changes (USB-A / USB-C / JST), housing variations, lens selection, optical tuning and firmware modifications to match OEM device requirements.
Q9. Can the UC-501 be used as an external USB camera for embedded AI boxes or computing platforms?
Yes. The Goobuy UC-501 USB camera module can function as an external UVC camera for edge-AI boxes, industrial PCs and embedded controllers needing reliable, compact imaging without driver dependencies.
Q10. What is required to integrate the Goobuy UC-501 USB camera into an AI or CV software pipeline?
Simply connect via USB, open any UVC-compatible viewer, then load the video stream into OpenCV, GStreamer or your AI model. No special SDK is required, and the camera works with standard CV libraries.
Can it be embedded in kiosks?
Absolutely. Its 15×15 mm housing makes it ideal as an embedded camera for kiosk systems.
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
NDAA Compliance Statement:
"This Goobuy UC-501 USB camera is manufactured in compliance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Section 889."
Support semi-custom its lens, USB interface, removing exterior housing, rename your ID here, check this UC-501 Page now.
Developer Bait
Python
# Example: Basic 1080P Capture with UC-501
import cv2
# Open Camera (Index 0 or 1)
cap = cv2.VideoCapture(0)
# Set Resolution to Full HD (1920x1080)
cap.set(cv2.CAP_PROP_FRAME_WIDTH, 1920)
cap.set(cv2.CAP_PROP_FRAME_HEIGHT, 1080)
# Check if camera opened successfully
if not cap.isOpened():
print("Error: Could not open UC-501 camera.")
exit()
while True:
ret, frame = cap.read()
if ret:
cv2.imshow('UC-501 Micro Cam', frame)
if cv2.waitKey(1) == 27: # ESC to exit
break
cap.release()
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
Relative Blogs and product application articles
1, Custom Micro USB Camera for Robots Guide UC-501
2, 15*15mm Micro USB Vision for High-Margin UK Projects UC-501
3, 15*15mm USB Camera Success: Detroit, Chicago & US Case Study UC-501
4, Micro USB Camera: USA Vision Tech & Selection Guide UC-501
5, UC-501 goobuy Micro USB Cameras for Industrial Inspection
6, Micro 2MP vs 5MP Autofocus USB Cameras for Robotics/AMR/AGV/cobot UC-501
7. Goobuy — Professional Micro USB Camera for AI Edge Vision
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