HomeKit, Thread, Matter, and more

Aqara is introducing a new presence sensor that is a natural addition for HomeKit users who want reliable automations without the need for a camera. The new Aqara FP300 combines mmWave presence sensing with a traditional PIR sensor and also adds on light, temperature, and humidity readings. For Apple users, the big story is Thread and Matter support, allowing it to easily integrate with the Home app for fast, room-aware automations.

HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.

What makes FP300 interesting for HomeKit

One thing to know here is that presence detection is different from basic motion. A simple PIR sensor (very common with all motion sensors) sees movement and then stops once that motion stops. mmWave can tell that someone is still in the room even if they are sitting still, reading or using a Mac at a desk. The Aqara FP300 combines both technologies, allowing PIR to provide quick wake-ups and mmWave to maintain automations even when someone is still present in a room.

For HomeKit, that combo of technologies should make things like lighting and temperature control more reliable. Instead of lights shutting off while you are on the couch or at your desk, the Aqara FP300 can track presence and only instruct HomeKit to power things down once the room is actually empty.

FP300 also reports light, temperature, and humidity. In the Home app, that means it can act like a small brain for a room. One accessory can tell you if someone is there, how bright the room is, and whether the air is getting warm or stuffy which is perfect for building smarter automations.

HomeKit automations you can build

I have not tested FP300 yet, but based on what it exposes to HomeKit, several useful automations make sense right away.

• Smart room lighting: Turn lights on when presence is detected, dim them after a few minutes of stillness, and only shut them off once the room is empty.
• Bedroom comfort control: If someone is present and the temperature gets warm, turn on a fan or lower your thermostat. When the room cools down, the fan will turn off automatically.
• Office lighting: When presence is detected, and light levels drop, turn on a desk lamp with a cooler white tone. In the evening, switch to warmer lighting once you are still in the room.
• Humidity-based automations: If humidity spikes while presence is detected, turn on a HomeKit exhaust fan. Shut it off oncethe humidity drops and the room is empty.
• Nighttime hallways: Between sunset and sunrise, use presence to trigger soft night lights in hallways or kids’ rooms.

Thread and Matter support

Thread support is a big part of why FP300 is interesting to me. Presence sensors need to be responsive, fast, and reliable. Thread support gives you low power, low latency communication that does not rely on Wi-Fi range. If you have a modern Apple TV or HomePod, you likely already have Thread support in your HomeKit setup.

Matter is the other key piece as well. Because the FP300 supports Matter, it appears in the Home app like any other native accessory without needing another bridge or hub (outside of an Apple TV or HomePod). You can drop it into scenes and automations, rename it, add it to rooms, and use its data without relying on the Aqara app, but you are obviously welcome to use both.

Where FP300 fits in a HomeKit setup

Based on the specs, FP300 looks flexible enough to work in many rooms. A few examples:

• Living room Keep lamps on while people are in the room
• Kids rooms: Use to track motion, temperature, etc
• Entryway Quick PIR wake-up and turn lights on, and mmWave for a clean shutdown once the room is empty.

Presence sensors, like the Aqara FP300, sit in a helpful middle ground. They detect people without the need for cameras indoors. mmWave and PIR can detect someone’s presence in the room without capturing video or audio. For HomeKit homes that value privacy, this kind of sensor is a great fit. You get lights that respond to you, fans that only run when the room is occupied, and automations that feel more thoughtful.

Aqara FP300 specs

Here are the key specs that matter for Apple fans:

• mmWave and PIR presence detection
• Built-in light, temperature, and humidity sensors
• Matter support over Thread
• Battery-powered design targeting multi-year life
• Works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and more
• Mounts on walls, corners, or ceilings with a bracket that’s in the box

Wrap up on Aqara FP300

The Aqara Presence Multi Sensor FP300 looks to be a great pickup for HomeKit homes for motion sensing. Thread support should make it quick and stable, and the extra environmental sensors open the door for some nice tracking and automations. On paper, this is one of the most feature-complete presence sensors I have seen for HomeKit.

You can buy it from Amazon.