Apollo MTR-1 Multi-Target Radar

Quick verdict

The MTR-1 is a sensor Swiss Army knife. Multi-target mmWave radar tracks multiple people in a room, while the onboard temperature, pressure, light, and Bluetooth proxy sensors cover the room's environment. ESPHome means it runs fully local with no cloud. Expect to spend some time tuning the radar zones, but the payoff is accurate presence detection that outperforms basic PIR sensors.

Standout: Multi-target mmWave radar with temperature, pressure, light, and a Bluetooth proxy, all in one ESPHome device.

Notes last checked May 31, 2026.

Compatibility snapshot

Why it stands out

• multi-target tracking mmWave radar detects multiple people and their positions in a room
• packed with sensors including temperature, pressure, light, and a Bluetooth proxy
• ESPHome firmware is fully open and locally controlled with zero cloud dependency

Reasons to hesitate

• mmWave tuning can require patience to get detection zones and sensitivity right
• WiFi-based, which adds to your wireless network load unlike Zigbee or Thread sensors
• no native voice assistant or Apple Home integration without Home Assistant

Best for

• Home Assistant users who want accurate room-level presence detection with multi-target tracking
• tinkerers who appreciate ESPHome's full customizability and the all-in-one sensor suite

Avoid if

• you want a simple plug-and-play motion sensor. This is a more advanced device that benefits from tuning
• you need native Apple Home or voice assistant support without Home Assistant

Privacy and local-control notes

Fully local via ESPHome. No cloud, no account, no data leaves your network. Radar-based presence detection means no camera or audio.

Home Assistant support: supported · integration path: ESPHome.

Built with ESPHome - see the ESPHome guide for Home Assistant →

Buying reality check

Price notes: Mid-range for a presence sensor, but the sheer number of included sensors makes it excellent value compared to buying each separately.

Compare side by side: see presence sensor comparisons →

How to add presence detection to every room

How I add reliable presence detection to every room of a local-first Home Assistant house: mmWave and PIR sensors by room type, network tracking for who's home, and why I skip Bluetooth trackers.