Recessed ground luminaires are generally floodlights that radiate light upwards. They are available with narrow- or wide-angled beams and symmetrical or asymmetrical intensity distribution curves. Recessed ground luminaires are mainly deployed outdoors but are also increasingly used for indoor lighting applications such as route-marking or providing accentuating light in hallways or bathrooms.

Set into the ground or floor, they need to withstand the weight of pedestrians and wheeled vehicles and require a high degree of protection (IP 65 or IP 67). Optimised reflector technology boosts their light output ratio.