LIOS Technology
LIOS Technology is a Cologne, Germany-headquartered subsidiary of Luna Innovations that develops distributed fiber optic sensing systems (DTS, DSS, DAS) for power transmission, industrial process, fire detection, and oil & gas customers globally, with 5,000+ systems installed worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersBlacksburg, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What LIOS Technology does
LIOS Technology GmbH is a Cologne, Germany-headquartered provider of distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) solutions, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Luna Innovations Incorporated (NASDAQ: LUNA) since its March 2022 acquisition from NKT Photonics for €20 million. The company designs and sells measurement systems based on Rayleigh, Brillouin, and Raman scattering mechanisms, delivered across four product lines: DE.TECT (linear heat detection for fire safety in tunnels, metros, and industrial facilities), EN.SURE (distributed temperature and strain sensing for underground and overhead power transmission cables, with monitoring ranges up to 100 km), PRE.VENT (industrial temperature and strain monitoring for chemical plants, reactors, LNG tanks, and pipelines), and WELL.DONE (downhole temperature and strain sensing for oil and gas applications). The technical platform supports up to 16 optical channels per system, temperature resolution below 0.1°C, strain resolution below 2 µε, spatial resolution as low as 0.25 m, ATEX/IECEx certification for hazardous environments, and a measured MTBF exceeding 40 years across an installed base of more than 5,000 systems. The Charon visualization and monitoring software aggregates sensor data from LIOS, Luna, and third-party sources into a common SQL database with open-protocol SCADA integration (XML, MODBUS, DNP3, IEC60870, IEC61850).
The company sells primarily through direct enterprise sales teams organized by region (Americas, EMEA, China, Asia), supplemented by systems integrators and local distributors such as FiOPS in the U.S. utility sector and Advanced Automated Systems in South African mining. Revenue is generated from hardware controller and sensor cable sales, software (including RTTR modules), and professional services for design, installation, and commissioning, with quote-based, project-specific pricing under multi-year contracts. Customers include transmission system operators (TenneT), utilities (Indianapolis Power & Light, Mississippi Power), chemical and metals manufacturers (Celanese, BASF, Affilips, DLR, Volvo Powertrain), oil & gas operators (Petro China, CNOOC-Tianjin, Neftegas, GTT), and government infrastructure authorities (CDOT for the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel, Chinese Ministry of Water Resource, DEGES). Recognized with the 2018 Prism Award in Detectors and Sensors, LIOS maintains ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001 certifications and operates a U.S. corporate office in Blacksburg, Virginia, alongside its Cologne R&D and manufacturing base.
LIOS Technology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LIOS Technology
- Legal name
- LIOS Technology GmbH
- Website
- https://lios.lunainc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LIOS Technology is a Cologne, Germany-headquartered subsidiary of Luna Innovations that develops distributed fiber optic sensing systems (DTS, DSS, DAS) for power transmission, industrial process, fire detection, and oil & gas customers globally, with 5,000+ systems installed worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LIOS Technology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing Systems
- NAICS
- Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Power Quality, Line Monitoring & Grid Edge Sensors (PMUs/µPMUs) (EUADAPAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Line Monitoring & Sensors (DLR, conductor temperature/sag, fault passage, vibration/icing sensors) (EUADADAL), Smart Grid Sensors & Monitoring Deployment (PMUs, Line Sensors, Fault Indicators) (EUAEANAH), Environmental & Technical Alarm Monitoring (Temperature, Water Leak, Gas, Power) (BPAKAFAG), Electrical Condition Monitoring (Partial Discharge, DGA, IR/Ultrasound) (EUAEAKAC)
Keywords
Where LIOS Technology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Blacksburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
LIOS Technology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- DTS/DSM/DAS Hardware Systems: Sale of optical fiber-based monitoring controllers and evaluation units (e.g., PRE.VENT DTS, EN.SURE DTS, DE.TECT LHD controllers). Systems are sold as complete units with multiple channel options and distance ranges. Pricing is project-specific based on range, channel count, and configuration.
- Fiber Optic Sensor Cables: Sale of specialized sensor cables including linear heat detection cables, high-temperature sensor cables, low-temperature sensing fibers, Fiber in Metal Tube (FIMT), and standard DTS sensor cables. Cables are sold separately and as part of system installations.
- Software (Charon, RTTR): Charon visualization and monitoring software provides configuration, data storage, and enhanced visualization. Real-Time Thermal Rating (RTTR) software package computes conductor temperature based on current load, ambient temperature, and thermal resistivity. Software may be sold as part of system package or separately.
- Professional Services and Custom Solutions: Design engineering services turning complex customized solutions with different cable designs into simple turn-key solutions. Includes installation support, commissioning, and ongoing technical support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Product line tiered by monitoring range and capability |
| Other | Multi-year contract | PRE.VENT DTS, DSM, and Long Range variants |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
LIOS Technology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LIOS Technology designs, manufactures, and sells distributed fiber optic sensing systems that continuously monitor temperature and strain across long distances (up to 100 km) using optical fibers as passive sensors. Its product lines include DE.TECT linear heat detection systems for fire safety, EN.SURE power cable monitoring systems for transmission and distribution operators, PRE.VENT industrial temperature and strain monitoring systems for chemical, LNG, and pipeline applications, and WELL.DONE sensing systems for oil and gas downhole applications. Sales include sensing controllers, sensor cables, the Charon visualization software, and professional installation and commissioning services.
Product overview
LIOS Technology offers a comprehensive portfolio of fiber optic distributed sensing solutions organized into four main product lines. The DE.TECT line provides linear heat detection systems for fire safety in tunnels, metros, and industrial facilities. The EN.SURE line monitors power cable temperature and strain for transmission and distribution grid management. The PRE.VENT line addresses industrial temperature and strain monitoring for chemical plants, reactors, LNG tanks, pipelines, and infrastructure. The WELL.DONE line serves oil and gas applications including downhole monitoring. All products utilize passive optical fibers as distributed sensors, with systems built around a central controller/unit that processes data, supported by the Charon visualization and monitoring software platform which consolidates data from multiple sensing systems into a unified interface.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DE.TECT: Linear heat detection systems for fire detection in tunnels, metros, warehouses, and industrial facilities. Provides fiber optic-based linear heat detection with ranges up to 10 km and sampling intervals down to 25 cm.
- EN.SURE
- PRE.VENT
- WELL.DONE
Products and services
- DE.TECT Linear Heat Detection Fiber optic linear heat detection system for fire detection in tunnels, metros, large facilities, and ATEX-certified hazardous environments. Provides continuous monitoring with ranges up to 10 km per channel and sampling intervals down to 25 cm, enabling fast fire detection and localization for transportation authorities, mining operators, and facility managers.
- EN.SURE Power Cable DTS System Optical fiber-based Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) system for monitoring underground T&D power cables and overhead transmission lines with single-ended measurement lengths up to 40 km. Enables Real-Time Thermal Rating, hotspot detection, and dynamic cable load management for utilities and transmission system operators.
- EN.SURE Long Range Power Cable DSTS System Combined Distributed Temperature and Strain (DSTS) sensing system for long-distance monitoring of underground T&D power cables and overhead transmission lines with single-ended measurement lengths up to 100 km. Provides industry-leading coverage for submarine export cables and long transmission corridors.
- EN.SURE Power Cable Strain Measurement System Distributed strain sensing (DSS) system for power cables that detects mechanical disturbances and prevents cable faults by measuring strain from unforeseen external events along the cable path. Used by utilities and transmission operators to identify third-party damage risks.
- PRE.VENT Industrial Temperature Monitoring Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) system for online surveillance of industrial applications including chemical processing plants, reactor vessels, gasifiers, induction furnaces, LNG tanks, pipelines, and infrastructure. Supports up to 16 channels with up to 40 km range per channel for continuous hot spot and process monitoring.
- PRE.VENT Long Range Industrial Temperature Monitoring System Extended-range Distributed Temperature Sensing system providing temperature monitoring for very large industrial sites with up to 16 channels and 70 km measurement range per channel. Supports ATEX/IECEx certified hazardous environments and thousands of measurement points along a single optical fiber.
- PRE.VENT Industrial Strain Measurement System Distributed Structure Monitoring (DSM/DSMS) system using Brillouin measurement technology for strain and temperature monitoring of large industrial assets including processing plants, reactors, storage tanks, gasifiers, rail tracks, offshore assets, pipelines, dykes, dams, and bridges, with range up to 50 km and strain resolution below 2 µε.
- WELL.DONE DTS Distributed Temperature Sensing system specifically designed for oil and gas downhole applications with up to 30 km range and a robust, maintenance-free industrial design suited for harsh wellbore environments. Supports well integrity, cement monitoring, and injection/production profiling.
- WELL.DONE DSM Distributed Structure Monitoring system for oil and gas applications with up to 50 km range for strain sensing in downhole and wellbore applications such as fracture monitoring and well integrity assurance.
- WELL.DONE High Optical Budget DTS Extended-range Distributed Temperature Sensing system for oil and gas with up to 70 km range per channel, designed for challenging well environments, long-distance monitoring, and CO2 injection well monitoring applications.
- Fiber in Metal Tube (FIMT) Stainless-steel tube-protected optical fiber sensor for harsh environments. Sold as a standalone product and used as the sensing backbone for over 5,000 Luna sensing systems installed worldwide, including in power cables, subsea installations, and industrial environments.
- Linear Heat Detection Sensor Cable Sensor cables for DE.TECT linear heat detection systems, available in various designs for tunnels, mines, warehouses, and industrial facilities. Sold as a standalone cable product supporting fire detection installations.
- Charon Visualization and Monitoring Software Centralized software platform that aggregates data from all Luna sensing products and third-party sensors into a common SQL database for visualization, status overview, graphs, tables, and monitoring. Compatible with open standard protocols (XML, MODBUS, DNP3, IEC60870, IEC61850) for SCADA integration.
Quantifiable outcome
- Fire detected within seconds, tunnel closed in <2 minutes, fire suppressed in <1 hour, tunnel reopened within ~3 hours after full inspection
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use LIOS Technology
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
LIOS Technology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
LIOS Technology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SilixacoreLuna Innovations acquired Silixa, a UK-based leader in distributed fiber optic sensing solutions, adding capabilities in distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), distributed temperature sensing (DTS), and distributed strain sensing (DSS). Silixa brings approximately $30 million in 2023 revenue (~15% annual growth) and 200+ patents, expanding Luna's portfolio to nearly 1,000 patents. The acquisition enhances energy, mining, defense, carbon capture, and geotechnical monitoring capabilities.
- FiOPS (Fiber Optic Pipeline Solutions)minorFiOPS (Fiber Optic Pipeline Solutions), a Texas-based company, partnered with LIOS and Indianapolis Power & Light Company to implement the first-ever use of a distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system to monitor external high-temperature threats in an underground electrical utility network secondary grid. FiOPS brought the technology from the oil pipeline industry into the power utility sector.
- Advanced Automated Systems (AAS)minorAAS (Advanced Automated Systems) is LIOS's strong South African partner for projects in South Africa, collaborating on DTS and linear heat detection implementations in the mining sector.
- TenneTminorTenneT, the German-based Transmission System Operator, selected LIOS for a 50 km North Sea offshore wind farm export cable monitoring project. The selection was based on best technical and economical solution following months of vendor comparison trials. TenneT represents a blue-chip utility customer and reference account.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LIOS Technology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LIOS Technology social profiles
Digital presenceLIOS Technology compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
LIOS Technology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LIOS Technology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
LIOS Technology subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
LIOS Technology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LIOS Technology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LIOS Technology
What does LIOS Technology do?
LIOS Technology designs, manufactures, and sells distributed fiber optic sensing systems that continuously monitor temperature and strain across long distances (up to 100 km) using optical fibers as passive sensors. Its product lines include DE.TECT linear heat detection systems for fire safety, EN.SURE power cable monitoring systems for transmission and distribution operators, PRE.VENT industrial temperature and strain monitoring systems for chemical, LNG, and pipeline applications, and WELL.DONE sensing systems for oil and gas downhole applications. Sales include sensing controllers, sensor cables, the Charon visualization software, and professional installation and commissioning services.
Is LIOS Technology a public or private company?
LIOS Technology is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was LIOS Technology founded?
LIOS Technology was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LIOS Technology based?
LIOS Technology is headquartered in Blacksburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does LIOS Technology make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. DTS/DSM/DAS Hardware Systems are the primary driver. The others are fiber Optic Sensor Cables, software (Charon, RTTR) and professional Services and Custom Solutions.
Does LIOS Technology have an API?
No public API is recorded for LIOS Technology.
What industry is LIOS Technology in?
LIOS Technology's product category is Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUADAPAO, Power Quality, Line Monitoring & Grid Edge Sensors (PMUs/µPMUs), with a secondary code of EUADADAL, Line Monitoring & Sensors (DLR, conductor temperature/sag, fault passage, vibration/icing sensors). Its NAICS code is 334515 and its SIC code is 3823.