company blog about Bosch BHI160 Smart Sensor: Drone Flight Control, Widely Compatible with AR/VR, Wearables and IoT Applications

Bosch BHI160 Smart Sensor: Drone Flight Control, Widely Compatible with AR/VR, Wearables and IoT Applications

I. Product Overview: Ultra-low-power six-axis smart sensor hub

The Bosch (Bosch Sensortec) BHI160 is a highly integrated, ultra-low-power smart sensor hub (Sensor Hub) that combines a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer and a 32-bit floating-point microcontroller (Fuser Core) within an ultra-compact LGA package measuring 3.0 mm × 3.0 mm × 0.95 mm. The BHI160 is specifically designed for ‘always-on’ motion sensing applications, capable of independently performing sensor data fusion and algorithmic processing without the need for continuous intervention from a host application processor.

As a flagship product of the Bosch Smart Sensor family, the BHI160 comes pre-loaded with a rich suite of software algorithms—including activity recognition, gesture detection and step counting—making it ready for use straight out of the box. Whether for demanding drone flight control systems or power-sensitive smart wearable devices, the BHI160 delivers a high-precision, low-power six-axis inertial measurement solution.

II. BHI160 Key Technical Specifications

Sensor type: Six-axis (three-axis accelerometer + three-axis gyroscope)

Accelerometer range: ±2g / ±4g / ±8g / ±16g

Gyroscope range: ±125°/s to ±2000°/s

Output interface: I²C (high-speed, up to 3.4 MBit/s)

Operating voltage: 1.71 V to 3.6 V

Operating temperature: -40 °C to +85 °C

Standby current: 7 µA

Accelerometer sampling rate: up to 1600 Hz

Gyroscope sampling rate: up to 800 Hz

Package dimensions: 3.0 × 3.0 × 0.95 mm LGA

The BHI160 supports a wide range of built-in sensor types, including an accelerometer, gravity sensing, linear acceleration, gyroscope, game rotation vector, pedometer, step detector, significant motion detection, tilt detection, pick-up gestures and wake-up gestures. When an external magnetometer is connected, advanced functions such as geomagnetic field measurement, rotation vector calculation and nine-axis absolute orientation can also be realised.

III. Core Applications in the Drone Sector

3.1 Drone Flight Control and Attitude Stabilisation

The BHI160 is an ideal core component for drone flight control systems. Whilst in flight, a drone needs to sense its pitch, roll and yaw angles in real time to achieve stable hovering, precise navigation and autonomous flight. The BHI160 is equipped with Bosch’s proprietary sensor fusion algorithm, which supports real-time fusion of accelerometer and gyroscope data to output high-precision attitude angles. With an accelerometer sampling rate of up to 1,600 Hz, it is more than capable of meeting the stringent requirements for UAV attitude control in high-speed manoeuvres.

‘It may be inconspicuous, but it underpins the UAV’s stable hover’—this tiny yet precise inertial measurement unit is, in essence, the ‘inner ear’ that keeps the UAV balanced in the air.

3.2 Autonomous Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance for Drones

In autonomous flight and obstacle avoidance systems for drones, the BHI160 provides precise angular velocity and acceleration data. When combined with visual or radar sensors, it enables reliable obstacle detection and avoidance. With an operating current as low as 300 µA, the BHI160 is particularly well-suited to small drones and long-endurance operational platforms where battery life is of the utmost importance.

3.3 Coverage of UAV Application Scenarios

UAVs equipped with the BHI160 can be widely applied in the following fields:

Power line inspection: Autonomous flight along high-voltage transmission lines to accurately detect equipment anomalies

Remote sensing and surveying: 3D geographic information collection and digital city development

Emergency response: Disaster site reconnaissance, search and rescue, and supply delivery

Public safety: Police patrols, border surveillance, and traffic management

Agricultural crop protection: Terrain-following flight and precision spraying operations

Communications relay: Setting up temporary communications networks and providing signal coverage

IV. Further Application Scenarios

4.1 AR/VR and Immersive Interaction

The BHI160 performs equally well in the fields of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). It can precisely track the three-dimensional orientation and movement trajectories of head-mounted displays, enabling an immersive experience that blends the virtual and real worlds. Whether for motion control via game controllers or spatial positioning for AR glasses, the BHI160 provides low-latency, high-precision motion data support.

4.2 Smartphones and Tablets

The BHI160 fully supports the Android sensor stack, enabling features such as automatic screen rotation, motion-based game controls, step counting and activity tracking. Offloading sensor fusion processing from the main processor to the BHI160 significantly reduces system power consumption and extends battery life.

4.3 Smart Wearables

In wearable devices such as smartwatches, fitness bands and activity trackers, the BHI160 enables precise step counting, sleep monitoring and wrist-raise gesture control to wake the screen. Its ultra-low power consumption ensures that devices maintain excellent battery life whilst continuously monitoring movement.

4.4 Robotics, the Internet of Things and Smart Homes

The BHI160 is equally suitable for a diverse range of applications, including robot posture control and navigation, motion detection for smart door locks, motion tracking for industrial IoT devices, and gesture-based interaction with smart TV remote controls.

V. Mingjiada – Professional Supply and Recycling Services for the Bosch BHI160

Shenzhen Mingjiada Electronics Co., Ltd. has been deeply involved in the electronic components sector for over twenty years. Headquartered in Shenzhen, the company serves global markets. It specialises in the supply and recycling of genuine integrated circuits (ICs), providing long-term, high-value supply chain services for a wide range of electronic components and chips.

5.1 Supply of Brand-New, Genuine Products

Mingjiada maintains a long-term supply of brand-new, genuine Bosch BHI160 components in stock. All products are guaranteed to be:

100% genuine and authentic, with traceable origins

Brand-new and unused, compliant with RoHS standards

Professionally tested to ensure reliable quality

Flexible supply, supporting both small-batch samples and large-volume procurement

5.2 Professional Recycling Services

Mingjiada also provides professional recycling services for the BHI160 and the full range of Bosch sensors:

Recyclable items: Covering the BHI160, BHI160B and the full range of Bosch MEMS sensors

Recyclable sources: Factory surplus stock, obsolete stock, returned electronic components, and traders’ clearance stock

Service Advantages:

Highly competitive pricing, exceeding industry standards

Flexible payment terms, supporting various methods including cash and bank transfers

Global collection, with our Shenzhen headquarters and Hong Kong warehouse operating in tandem

Rapid response, with accurate quotations provided within 1–4 hours

Supply enquiries and recycling discussions: Please contact Mingjiada Electronics via email (sales@hkmjd.com) to send your requirements or stock lists and receive a prompt quotation and professional service.

Tags: BHI160B, BHI160