Anonymous
Mar 31, 2026
Rating: 5/5
Standard and reliable
If you are getting into IMU sensors, this is the standard starting point. Plenty of libraries available online. It arrived well-packaged and the soldering points are clear and easy to use.
Description
Reviews
| Brand | - |
| Category | Robotics / STEM Teaching Tools / Sensors |
| Origin | - |
| Chip Model | MPU-6050 |
| Communication Interface | I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) |
| Axes Detection | 3-Axis Accelerometer + 3-Axis Gyroscope |
| Operating Voltage | 3.3V - 5V DC |
| Logic Level | 3.3V / 5V Compatible |
| Accelerometer Range | ±2g, ±4g, ±8g, ±16g (Programmable) |
| Gyroscope Range | ±250, ±500, ±1000, ±2000 deg/sec |
| Board Dimensions | 16mm x 13mm x 2mm |
| Mounting Holes | 4 x 2.5mm diameter |
| Application | Arduino, Raspberry Pi, UAVs, Robotics |
Anonymous
Mar 31, 2026
Rating: 5/5
Standard and reliable
If you are getting into IMU sensors, this is the standard starting point. Plenty of libraries available online. It arrived well-packaged and the soldering points are clear and easy to use.
Anonymous
Mar 24, 2026
Rating: 5/5
Great for education
Bought ten of these for my university lab. Students find them easy to interface with Python and C++. The noise floor is acceptable for educational purposes and basic hobby projects.
Anonymous
Mar 19, 2026
Rating: 5/5
Easy to get started
As a beginner, I was worried about setting this up, but there are so many tutorials for the MPU6050 that I had it reading angles within an hour. Highly recommended for learning about motion sensing.
Anonymous
Mar 17, 2026
Rating: 5/5
Perfect for my drone project
This GY-521 module works flawlessly with my Arduino Uno. The I2C communication is stable, and the data from both the accelerometer and gyroscope is accurate after calibration. Great value for the price.
Anonymous
Mar 05, 2026
Rating: 4/5
Good sensor, needs careful wiring
The sensor itself is excellent and provides smooth data for my self-balancing robot. Just make sure to check your voltage levels; I initially had issues because I was using 5V logic without a level shifter on a 3.3V board.
Anonymous
Mar 03, 2026
Rating: 3/5
Works but sensitive to vibration
The module functions as described, but it is quite sensitive to mechanical vibration. You definitely need to mount it on foam or a dampener if you are using it on a flying vehicle, otherwise the data gets noisy.
Q: What library do you recommend for Arduino?
A: The 'MPU6050_light' library by Electronic Cats or the 'Adafruit_MPU6050' library are highly recommended. They are well-maintained, easy to use, and provide examples for reading raw data and calculated angles.
Q: Is this module compatible with Raspberry Pi 4?
A: Yes, the MPU6050 GY-521 is fully compatible with Raspberry Pi 4 via the I2C pins. Ensure you enable I2C in the raspi-config settings and connect VCC to 3.3V or 5V, GND to GND, SDA to SDA, and SCL to SCL.
Q: Does this come with headers pre-soldered?
A: No, this module typically ships without headers soldered to allow for flexible mounting options. You will need to solder your own male or female headers depending on your project requirements.
Q: Can I use this to measure absolute orientation relative to Earth?
A: The MPU6050 contains an accelerometer and gyroscope but lacks a magnetometer. While it can estimate orientation, it will drift over time without a magnetometer (compass) to correct for yaw. For absolute orientation, consider combining it with a magnetometer module like the HMC5883L.
Q: What is the maximum sampling rate?
A: The MPU6050 supports a maximum sampling rate of up to 8 kHz for the gyroscope and 1 kHz for the accelerometer, though typical usage in hobby projects ranges between 100 Hz and 500 Hz depending on the I2C bus speed.