An object detection system and method detect objects by projecting an infrared (IR) pattern from an IR emitter and capturing images with respective cameras that each includes an IR channel (e.g., a near IR channel) and one or more visible channels (e.g., red, green, and blue). The object detection system may detect, in the IR channels of the captured images, illumination features (e.g., points, lines, or shapes of IR illumination) from the IR pattern and may also detect objects in the visible channels of the images. The object detection sensor may estimate locations for the objects based on detected illumination features incident upon each object. The object detection system may be part of an aerial vehicle and may be used for autonomous or semi-autonomous flight planning.