会社ブログについて Applications of the Bosch BMI160 Six-Axis IMU for Drones — Mingjiada Electronics’ One-Stop Supply and Procurement Service

Introduction

In drone flight control systems, attitude detection is a core component for ensuring smooth operation, precise hovering and stable navigation. As a high-performance six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU), the Bosch BMI160 is widely used in flight control solutions for consumer drones, aerial photography drones and industrial inspection drones, thanks to its advantages of low power consumption, compact size, low latency and high precision. Shenzhen Mingjiada Electronics Co., Ltd. specialises in the electronic components supply chain and offers brand-new, genuine BMI160 sensor chips from stock. At the same time, the company purchases BMI160 idle stock and surplus ICs from manufacturers and solution providers at competitive prices, providing a one-stop solution to the challenges of chip procurement and inventory management for drone projects.

I. Bosch BMI160 Core Parameters and Technical Characteristics

The BMI160 is a compact, ultra-low-power 6-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) inertial measurement unit (IMU) that integrates a 16-bit triaxial accelerometer and a 16-bit triaxial gyroscope, housed in a 14-pin 2.5 × 3.0 × 0.8 mm³ LGA package. The chip supports both I²C and SPI communication interfaces, enabling real-time acquisition of the aircraft’s angular velocity and acceleration data. It rapidly outputs drone attitude information to assist the flight control board in calculating pitch, roll and yaw attitudes, thereby effectively enhancing flight stability and reducing the risk of flight drift.

Key specifications:

Accelerometer range: ±2g / ±4g / ±8g / ±16g (configurable)

Gyroscope range: ±125°/s / ±250°/s / ±500°/s / ±1000°/s / ±2000°/s (selectable)

Output resolution: 16-bit digital output

Data rate: Up to 1.6 kHz for the accelerometer; up to 6.4 kHz for the gyroscope

Communication interfaces: I²C / SPI

Operating voltage: 1.71 V to 3.6 V

Standby current: 10 μA

Operating current: 950 μA (when both accelerometer and gyroscope are enabled)

On-board FIFO: 1 KB

Operating temperature: -40°C to +85°C

Package dimensions: 2.5 × 3.0 × 0.8 mm³ LGA-14

The BMI160 has a angular rate output noise density of 0.008°/s/√Hz; at a sampling rate of 100 Hz, the equivalent integrated noise is approximately 0.08°/s RMS, meeting the attitude sensing accuracy requirements of consumer-grade drones. The chip incorporates an intelligent interrupt controller, supporting functions such as free-fall detection, motion wake-up and inactivity detection. It features a configurable step counter and provides an auxiliary I²C interface for connecting external magnetometers, enabling expansion to a nine-axis attitude solution. Each unit of the chip undergoes factory calibration to ensure consistent accuracy upon delivery.

II. Core Applications of the BMI160 in Drone Flight Control

2.1 Attitude Estimation and Flight Stabilisation

The BMI160’s high-precision sensors provide stable attitude information, which is crucial for maintaining level flight in drones. Its rapid data output rate (up to 1.6 kHz for the accelerometer) ensures an immediate response to changes in the drone’s attitude. In a typical UAV flight control solution, the BMI160 works in conjunction with microcontrollers such as the STM32F103 to convert raw acceleration and angular velocity data into attitude angles (pitch, roll and yaw) that can be directly utilised by the flight control system, using complementary filtering or the Mahony filtering algorithm.

2.2 Navigation Control and Automatic Stabilisation

Combined with GPS data and other sensor inputs, the BMI160 facilitates precise position tracking and navigation. Utilising its built-in accelerometer and gyroscope, efficient automatic stabilisation algorithms can be designed to enhance flight safety. The BMI160 also serves as a core inertial navigation component in UAV indoor positioning and path planning projects.

2.3 Gimbal Stabilisation and Power Management

The BMI160’s ultra-low power consumption makes it ideally suited for battery-powered UAV applications, helping to extend flight endurance. In gimbal stabilisation systems, the BMI160’s high-precision angular velocity detection provides real-time feedback on gimbal attitude deviations, working in conjunction with control algorithms to ensure stable video output. When full-speed sampling is not required, the system can switch to low-power mode to conserve battery energy.

III. Mingjiada Electronics – Professional Supplier and Acquirer of Bosch BMI160

4.1 Company Profile

Shenzhen Mingjiada Electronics Co., Ltd. was established in 1996 and has specialised in the electronic components supply chain for nearly thirty years. Headquartered in Futian, Shenzhen, the company has established branches in Hong Kong, Japan, Russia and other locations, building a global supply network. The company stocks over 2 million different part numbers, with its business scope covering both the supply and recycling of electronic components, thereby forming a unique ‘two-way supply chain’ model.

4.2 BMI160 Spot Supply Services

Mingjiada Electronics is a professional supplier of electronic components, maintaining a long-term stock of genuine Bosch BMI160 sensor chips to serve a wide range of drone solution providers, hardware R&D enterprises and SMT manufacturing plants.

Supply Advantages:

Brand-new, genuine stock: Consistent batch quality; supports both small-batch trial samples and large-volume orders

Rapid delivery: Dispatched domestically and internationally; fast delivery available in the Pearl River Delta region; supports international trade orders

One-stop procurement: Components for drones, robots and IoT sensors can all be procured through a single order

Multi-platform service: Available via the official website www.integrated-ic.com

4.3 BMI160 Stock Buy-back Service

Mingjiada also operates a buy-back service for BMI160 and various sensor chips, targeting surplus materials from drone projects, factory overstock and materials left over from cancelled projects.

Scope of Buy-back:

Brand-new, original BMI160 stock, end-of-line stock, obsolete stock, unopened ICs and engineering samples

Various sensor chips from Bosch, Texas Instruments (TI), ADI, STMicroelectronics and others

Supports a range of flexible cooperation models, including bulk purchases, consignment sales, and stock clearance

Advantages of our recycling service:

Free valuation and quotation, offering competitive industry prices

Cash settlement, with payment completed within 1–3 working days after acceptance

Nationwide door-to-door collection, with strict confidentiality of customer material information

We only accept goods sourced through legitimate channels; we uphold integrity and a win-win approach, ensuring the traceability of component quality

Mingjiada Electronics not only serves the drone sector but also possesses extensive experience in component supply and recycling across multiple fields, including automotive electronics, industrial control, consumer electronics and medical equipment. We specialise in popular sensor series such as ADXL, BMI and LIS from leading international brands including ADI, Bosch and ST.

Contact details:

Contact person: Mr Chen

Mobile: +86 13410018555

Email: sales@hkmjd.com

Company address: Rooms 1239–1241, New Asia Guoli Building, Zhenzhong Road, Futian District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province