GY-521 MPU6050 3-Axis Gyroscope and Accelerometer Module

A widely used 6-axis motion sensing board

The GY-521 is a breakout board for the MPU6050 chip, combining a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis accelerometer into one small module, one of the most widely used combined motion sensors in hobby electronics because of its low cost and solid feature set. Communication runs over the standard IIC (I2C) protocol, and both the gyroscope and accelerometer readings pass through 16-bit analog-to-digital converters, giving fine resolution on the resulting 16-bit data output.

Measurement ranges on both sensors are configurable in software: the accelerometer can be set to ±2g, ±4g, ±8g or ±16g, and the gyroscope can be set to ±250, ±500, ±1000 or ±2000 degrees per second, letting a project trade sensitivity for range depending on whether it's tracking gentle tilts or fast, energetic motion.

Build and everyday use

An onboard LDO (low-dropout) regulator chip supports both 5V and 3.3V input directly, so the board works with either logic voltage family without needing external regulation circuitry, and operating voltage overall is rated at 3 to 5V DC. The PCB itself measures a compact 22.1mm by 13.6mm, small enough to fit onto most robotics, drone and wearable projects without adding significant bulk.

Because the MPU6050 lacks a magnetometer, unlike the related MPU9250, the GY-521 gives tilt, rotation rate and acceleration data but not absolute heading; for projects that need compass-style heading information as well, a 9-axis module would be the better choice.

Who it suits

Robotics, drone and self-balancing project builders needing reliable, low-cost gyroscope and accelerometer data over I2C will find the GY-521 a well-proven, widely documented board, backed by extensive existing library and tutorial support.

Questions buyers ask

What sensors does it combine?

A 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis accelerometer, both on the MPU6050 chip.

How does it communicate with a microcontroller?

Over I2C (IIC).

What measurement ranges does it support?

Accelerometer: ±2g to ±16g; gyroscope: ±250 to ±2000 degrees per second.