Short version: the Aqara FP2 is still the presence sensor the others get compared to. One unit covers about 40 square meters, tracks up to five people and lets you draw up to 30 zones, so a single sensor can tell the couch, the dining table and the desk apart. In Home Assistant it runs fully local, meaning without the internet, through the built-in HomeKit Device integration. The catch is that it needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, USB power and a one-time setup in the Aqara app.
Updated November 2026.
What the FP2 does differently
A PIR motion sensor only sees movement, so it decides you left the moment you sit still. A basic mmWave sensor (a small radar that picks up tiny movements like breathing) fixes that, but only tells you whether someone is somewhere in its range. The FP2 maps the room. You draw zones in the Aqara app, and each zone becomes its own occupancy sensor. That is what makes automations like “reading light on when someone sits in the armchair” or “desk lamp only when someone is at the desk” possible with one device.
It also has a built-in light sensor, fall detection mode for bathrooms or elderly relatives, and handles slow movement like breathing well enough to keep lights on while you read. Its other strength is resistance to false triggers. Ceiling fans, curtains moving in a draft and pets are what make cheap radar sensors annoying, and the FP2 is much better at ignoring them, especially once you mark the fan or window area as an interference zone.
Setting it up in Home Assistant
The FP2 talks HomeKit over Wi-Fi, and Home Assistant can pair with HomeKit accessories directly. You do not need an iPhone hub or an Apple account for this.
- Install the Aqara Home app, create an account and add the FP2 on your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. If your router uses one network name for both bands, a temporary 2.4 GHz only network or a band steering exception helps.
- Let the app update the firmware, then set the mounting position and draw your zones. Mark fans, windows and radiators as interference zones.
- When the app offers to add the sensor to Apple Home, skip it. A HomeKit accessory can only be paired to one HomeKit controller at a time. If it is already in Apple Home, remove it there first.
- In Home Assistant, go to Settings > Devices & services. The FP2 usually appears as a discovered HomeKit Device. Click Configure and enter the 8 digit HomeKit setup code from the sensor or its box.
- Assign an area. You get an overall occupancy sensor, one occupancy sensor per zone and an illuminance sensor.
If you add or rename zones later in the Aqara app, reload the HomeKit Device integration so Home Assistant picks up the change. Keep a photo of the setup code; you need it again after a reset.
A zone automation example
Turn on the reading lamp when someone sits in the armchair zone after dark, and off two minutes after they leave:
alias: Armchair reading lamp
mode: restart
triggers:
- trigger: state
entity_id: binary_sensor.living_room_fp2_armchair
to: "on"
id: arrived
- trigger: state
entity_id: binary_sensor.living_room_fp2_armchair
to: "off"
for: "00:02:00"
id: left
actions:
- choose:
- conditions:
- condition: trigger
id: arrived
- condition: numeric_state
entity_id: sensor.living_room_fp2_light_sensor
below: 60
sequence:
- action: light.turn_on
target:
entity_id: light.reading_lamp
- conditions:
- condition: trigger
id: left
sequence:
- action: light.turn_off
target:
entity_id: light.reading_lampUse your own entity IDs. Using the FP2’s own light sensor as the condition saves you a separate lux sensor.
Placement tips
- Wall mount at about 1.5 m for zone tracking in a living room, angled slightly down, facing the area you care about. Ceiling mounting is for fall detection.
- Do not aim it at a window or a fan if you can avoid it. If you cannot, draw an interference zone over it.
- Plan the cable. It needs USB power all the time. A flat adhesive cable channel makes a wall mount look tidy.
- Check Wi-Fi signal at the spot. A weak 2.4 GHz connection shows up as zones that lag or go unavailable.
Who should buy it, and who should not
Buy the FP2 if you have an open plan room and want different things to happen in different parts of it, or if cheap sensors keep turning lights on because of a fan. It is less of a fit if you just need “someone is in the bathroom”. A single zone Zigbee sensor like the Aqara FP1E or Linptech ES1 does that for less money and stays off your Wi-Fi. For a side by side view of all six options, see our presence sensor comparison.
Price wise, AliExpress is often cheapest, especially during sales. It is also sold on Amazon if you want faster delivery and easier returns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Aqara FP2 work with Home Assistant without the cloud?
Yes. After the first setup in the Aqara app, pair it to Home Assistant with the built-in HomeKit Device integration. Control and zone updates then run locally over your network.
Do I need an Apple device to use the FP2 with Home Assistant?
No. Home Assistant acts as the HomeKit controller itself. You only need the Aqara app on any phone for the initial Wi-Fi setup and zone drawing.
Can the FP2 be in Apple Home and Home Assistant at the same time?
Not through HomeKit, because a HomeKit accessory pairs with one controller. Pair it to Home Assistant and share it back to Apple Home with the HomeKit Bridge integration if you need both.
Does the Aqara FP2 work on 5 GHz Wi-Fi?
No, it needs 2.4 GHz. If your router combines both bands under one name, set up a 2.4 GHz only network for the initial pairing.
How many zones does the FP2 support?
Up to 30 zones per sensor, and each zone becomes its own occupancy sensor in Home Assistant. It can track up to five people at once.