Tag Archives: Tilt Compensated Compass

In this video lesson we add an SSD1306 OLED to our Arduino Uno R4 WiFi IMU project. The schematic we use for the project is:

OLED IMU — This schematic shows how to connect the SSD1306 OLED to our IMU Project.

The code below is the program we develop in the video. Remember, you have to use your calibration parameters in the program below. I showed you how to calibrate your system in THIS LESSON.

#include <Adafruit_MPU6050.h>
#include <Adafruit_Sensor.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <QMC5883LCompass.h>

#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>
#include <math.h>

int screenWidth=128;
int screenHeight=64;
int rst = -1;
Adafruit_SSD1306 dsp(screenWidth, screenHeight, &Wire, rst);

float AxRaw,AyRaw,AzRaw,GxRaw,GyRaw,GzRaw,MxRaw,MyRaw,MzRaw;
float AxCal,AyCal,AzCal,GxCal,GyCal,GzCal,MxCal,MyCal,MzCal;
float rollA,pitchA,yawM,rollC,pitchC,yawC;
float rollG = 0;
float pitchG =0 ;
float yawG = 0;
float deltaRoll = 0;
float deltaPitch = 0;
float deltaYaw = 0;
float alpha = .1;

float rollCrad;
float pitchCrad;
float MxCalH;
float MyCalH;

int tStart =millis();
Adafruit_MPU6050 mpu;
QMC5883LCompass compass;

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
Serial.begin(115200);

dsp.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC,0x3C);
dsp.clearDisplay();
dsp.display();

mpu.begin();
mpu.setI2CBypass(true);
compass.init();
mpu.setGyroRange(MPU6050_RANGE_1000_DEG);
delay(100);
}

void calibrateSensors() {
    const float axOffset = 0.45407887789180545;
    const float ayOffset = 0.09432915233553185;
    const float azOffset = -0.4614157209191969;
    const float axScale = 0.10141341897341144;
    const float ayScale = 0.10141341897341144;
    const float azScale = 0.10141341897341144;
    const float gxOffset = -2.277507235645022;
    const float gyOffset = 0.8794902155258137;
    const float gzOffset = -0.5729577951308232;
    const float mxOffset = -103.48885017294003;
    const float myOffset = -96.80085481152321;
    const float mzOffset = 923.8042898128733;
    const float mxScale = 0.001156333898601669;
    const float myScale = 0.001012882116988885;
    const float mzScale = 0.0009400860982065997;


    AxCal = (AxRaw - axOffset) * axScale;
    AyCal = (AyRaw - ayOffset) * ayScale;
    AzCal = (AzRaw - azOffset) * azScale;
    GxCal = GxRaw*180/PI - gxOffset;
    GyCal = GyRaw*180/PI - gyOffset;
    GzCal = GzRaw*180/PI - gzOffset;
    MxCal = (MxRaw - mxOffset) * mxScale;
    MyCal = (MyRaw - myOffset) * myScale;
    MzCal = (MzRaw - mzOffset) * mzScale;
}
void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
compass.read();
sensors_event_t a, g, temp;
mpu.getEvent(&a, &g, &temp);

AxRaw = a.acceleration.x;
AyRaw = a.acceleration.y;
AzRaw = a.acceleration.z;

GxRaw = g.gyro.x;
GyRaw = g.gyro.y;
GzRaw = g.gyro.z;

MxRaw= compass.getX();
MyRaw= compass.getY();
MzRaw= compass.getZ();

calibrateSensors();

rollA = atan2(AyCal,sqrt(AzCal*AzCal + AxCal*AxCal))*180/PI;
pitchA = atan2(AxCal,sqrt(AzCal*AzCal + AyCal*AyCal))*180/PI;

deltaRoll = GxCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;
deltaPitch = -GyCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;
deltaYaw = -GzCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;
tStart = millis();

rollG = rollG + deltaRoll;
pitchG = pitchG + deltaPitch;
yawG = yawG + deltaYaw;

rollC = alpha*(rollA) + (1-alpha)*(rollC+deltaRoll);
pitchC = alpha*(pitchA) + (1-alpha)*(pitchC+deltaPitch);

rollCrad=rollC*PI/180;
pitchCrad=pitchC*PI/180;

MxCalH=MxCal*cos(pitchCrad)-MyCal*sin(rollCrad)*sin(pitchCrad)-MzCal*cos(rollCrad)*sin(pitchCrad);
MyCalH=MyCal*cos(rollCrad) - MzCal*sin(rollCrad);

yawM = atan2(MyCalH,MxCalH)*180./PI;
yawM=int(yawM+360)%360;
if (abs(yawM-yawC)>=180){
  yawC=yawM;
}
if (abs(yawM-yawC)<180){
yawC = alpha*(yawM) + (1-alpha)*(yawC + deltaYaw);
}

// Serial.print("yawC:");Serial.print(yawC);Serial.print(',');
// Serial.print("yawM:");Serial.print(yawM);Serial.print(',');
// Serial.print("yawG:");Serial.print(yawG);Serial.print(',');
// Serial.print("LL:");Serial.print(-90);Serial.print(',');
// Serial.print("UL:");Serial.println(90);

Serial.print("rollC:");Serial.print(rollC);Serial.print(',');
Serial.print("pitchC:");Serial.print(pitchC);Serial.print(',');
Serial.print("yawC:");Serial.print(yawC);Serial.print(',');
Serial.print("LL:");Serial.print(-90);Serial.print(',');
Serial.print("UL:");Serial.println(90);

dsp.clearDisplay();
dsp.setTextColor(WHITE);
dsp.setCursor(0,0);
dsp.print("Ultimate Avionics");
dsp.setCursor(0,9);
dsp.print("R: "); dsp.print(int(rollC));
dsp.setCursor(40,9);
dsp.print("P: ");dsp.print(int(pitchC));
dsp.setCursor(80,9);
dsp.print("Y: ");dsp.print(int(yawC));

dsp.display();
delay(100);
}

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#include <Adafruit_MPU6050.h>

#include <Adafruit_Sensor.h>

#include <Wire.h>

#include <QMC5883LCompass.h>

#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>

#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>

#include <math.h>

int screenWidth=128;

int screenHeight=64;

int rst = -1;

Adafruit_SSD1306 dsp(screenWidth, screenHeight, &Wire, rst);

float AxRaw,AyRaw,AzRaw,GxRaw,GyRaw,GzRaw,MxRaw,MyRaw,MzRaw;

float AxCal,AyCal,AzCal,GxCal,GyCal,GzCal,MxCal,MyCal,MzCal;

float rollA,pitchA,yawM,rollC,pitchC,yawC;

float rollG = 0;

float pitchG =0 ;

float yawG = 0;

float deltaRoll = 0;

float deltaPitch = 0;

float deltaYaw = 0;

float alpha = .1;

float rollCrad;

float pitchCrad;

float MxCalH;

float MyCalH;

int tStart =millis();

Adafruit_MPU6050 mpu;

QMC5883LCompass compass;

void setup() {

// put your setup code here, to run once:

Serial.begin(115200);

dsp.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC,0x3C);

dsp.clearDisplay();

dsp.display();

mpu.begin();

mpu.setI2CBypass(true);

compass.init();

mpu.setGyroRange(MPU6050_RANGE_1000_DEG);

delay(100);

}

void calibrateSensors() {

const float axOffset = 0.45407887789180545;

const float ayOffset = 0.09432915233553185;

const float azOffset = -0.4614157209191969;

const float axScale = 0.10141341897341144;

const float ayScale = 0.10141341897341144;

const float azScale = 0.10141341897341144;

const float gxOffset = -2.277507235645022;

const float gyOffset = 0.8794902155258137;

const float gzOffset = -0.5729577951308232;

const float mxOffset = -103.48885017294003;

const float myOffset = -96.80085481152321;

const float mzOffset = 923.8042898128733;

const float mxScale = 0.001156333898601669;

const float myScale = 0.001012882116988885;

const float mzScale = 0.0009400860982065997;

AxCal = (AxRaw - axOffset) * axScale;

AyCal = (AyRaw - ayOffset) * ayScale;

AzCal = (AzRaw - azOffset) * azScale;

GxCal = GxRaw*180/PI - gxOffset;

GyCal = GyRaw*180/PI - gyOffset;

GzCal = GzRaw*180/PI - gzOffset;

MxCal = (MxRaw - mxOffset) * mxScale;

MyCal = (MyRaw - myOffset) * myScale;

MzCal = (MzRaw - mzOffset) * mzScale;

}

void loop() {

// put your main code here, to run repeatedly:

compass.read();

sensors_event_t a, g, temp;

mpu.getEvent(&a, &g, &temp);

AxRaw = a.acceleration.x;

AyRaw = a.acceleration.y;

AzRaw = a.acceleration.z;

GxRaw = g.gyro.x;

GyRaw = g.gyro.y;

GzRaw = g.gyro.z;

MxRaw= compass.getX();

MyRaw= compass.getY();

MzRaw= compass.getZ();

calibrateSensors();

rollA = atan2(AyCal,sqrt(AzCal*AzCal + AxCal*AxCal))*180/PI;

pitchA = atan2(AxCal,sqrt(AzCal*AzCal + AyCal*AyCal))*180/PI;

deltaRoll = GxCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;

deltaPitch = -GyCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;

deltaYaw = -GzCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;

tStart = millis();

rollG = rollG + deltaRoll;

pitchG = pitchG + deltaPitch;

yawG = yawG + deltaYaw;

rollC = alpha*(rollA) + (1-alpha)*(rollC+deltaRoll);

pitchC = alpha*(pitchA) + (1-alpha)*(pitchC+deltaPitch);

rollCrad=rollC*PI/180;

pitchCrad=pitchC*PI/180;

MxCalH=MxCal*cos(pitchCrad)-MyCal*sin(rollCrad)*sin(pitchCrad)-MzCal*cos(rollCrad)*sin(pitchCrad);

MyCalH=MyCal*cos(rollCrad) - MzCal*sin(rollCrad);

yawM = atan2(MyCalH,MxCalH)*180./PI;

yawM=int(yawM+360)%360;

if (abs(yawM-yawC)>=180){

yawC=yawM;

}

if (abs(yawM-yawC)<180){

yawC = alpha*(yawM) + (1-alpha)*(yawC + deltaYaw);

}

// Serial.print("yawC:");Serial.print(yawC);Serial.print(',');

// Serial.print("yawM:");Serial.print(yawM);Serial.print(',');

// Serial.print("yawG:");Serial.print(yawG);Serial.print(',');

// Serial.print("LL:");Serial.print(-90);Serial.print(',');

// Serial.print("UL:");Serial.println(90);

Serial.print("rollC:");Serial.print(rollC);Serial.print(',');

Serial.print("pitchC:");Serial.print(pitchC);Serial.print(',');

Serial.print("yawC:");Serial.print(yawC);Serial.print(',');

Serial.print("LL:");Serial.print(-90);Serial.print(',');

Serial.print("UL:");Serial.println(90);

dsp.clearDisplay();

dsp.setTextColor(WHITE);

dsp.setCursor(0,0);

dsp.print("Ultimate Avionics");

dsp.setCursor(0,9);

dsp.print("R: "); dsp.print(int(rollC));

dsp.setCursor(40,9);

dsp.print("P: ");dsp.print(int(pitchC));

dsp.setCursor(80,9);

dsp.print("Y: ");dsp.print(int(yawC));

dsp.display();

delay(100);

}

Arduino, Arduino 9-Axis IMU Totorials

Removing Digital Compass Glitches and Wrap Around Issues

November 21, 2025 admin

In this video lesson we continue to improve our Arduino IMU project incorporating the GY-87 9-axis sensor module. In last weeks lesson, we had added tilt compensation to the project, so the IMU reports accurate Heading values, even if the sensor is tilted. This creates a tilt compensated digital compass. We are now getting ready to begin building graphical displays on the SSD1306 OLED display. In order to do that, we must clean up a few things on the project. First, our compass presently reports headings between +/- 180 degrees. For standard compasses, North is a heading of 0 degrees, and rotating clockwise reports increasing number, up to 359. Then the compass returns to North, as it has been rotated all the way around. The other issue we clean up in todays lesson is associated with the so called wrap around glitch. That is, if we move only two degrees, from 1 degree to 359 degrees, it is a very small physical change, but the complimentary filter sees it as a large change, and it filters that change. The practical implication of this is that the needle on the compass will take the long way around the dial when making this transition, and it creates a very awkward glitch in the display. We will show you how to solve the wrap around glitch.

This is the schematic we have been using for this project:

MPU6050 — Schematic for connecting the GY-87 module to the Arduino

This is the code we developed in today’s lesson. Understand, you must calibrate your sensor module, as we taught in THIS LESSON. Then you need to put those calibration values into the code below for it to work accurately for your sensor module.

#include <Adafruit_MPU6050.h>
#include <Adafruit_Sensor.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <QMC5883LCompass.h>
float AxRaw,AyRaw,AzRaw,GxRaw,GyRaw,GzRaw,MxRaw,MyRaw,MzRaw;
float AxCal,AyCal,AzCal,GxCal,GyCal,GzCal,MxCal,MyCal,MzCal;
float rollA,pitchA,yawM,rollC,pitchC,yawC;
float rollG = 0;
float pitchG =0 ;
float yawG = 0;
float deltaRoll = 0;
float deltaPitch = 0;
float deltaYaw = 0;
float alpha = .1;
float rollCrad;
float pitchCrad;

float MxCalH; 
float MyCalH;
int tStart =millis();
Adafruit_MPU6050 mpu;
QMC5883LCompass compass;

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
Serial.begin(115200);
mpu.begin();
mpu.setI2CBypass(true);
compass.init();
mpu.setGyroRange(MPU6050_RANGE_1000_DEG);
delay(100);
}

void calibrateSensors() {
    const float axOffset = 0.45407887789180545;
    const float ayOffset = 0.09432915233553185;
    const float azOffset = -0.4614157209191969;
    const float axScale = 0.10141341897341144;
    const float ayScale = 0.10141341897341144;
    const float azScale = 0.10141341897341144;
    const float gxOffset = -2.277507235645022;
    const float gyOffset = 0.8794902155258137;
    const float gzOffset = -0.5729577951308232;
    const float mxOffset = -103.48885017294003;
    const float myOffset = -96.80085481152321;
    const float mzOffset = 923.8042898128733;
    const float mxScale = 0.001156333898601669;
    const float myScale = 0.001012882116988885;
    const float mzScale = 0.0009400860982065997;
 
    AxCal = (AxRaw - axOffset) * axScale;
    AyCal = (AyRaw - ayOffset) * ayScale;
    AzCal = (AzRaw - azOffset) * azScale;
    GxCal = GxRaw*180/PI - gxOffset;
    GyCal = GyRaw*180/PI - gyOffset;
    GzCal = GzRaw*180/PI - gzOffset;
    MxCal = (MxRaw - mxOffset) * mxScale;
    MyCal = (MyRaw - myOffset) * myScale;
    MzCal = (MzRaw - mzOffset) * mzScale;
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
compass.read();
sensors_event_t a, g, temp;
mpu.getEvent(&a, &g, &temp);

AxRaw = a.acceleration.x;
AyRaw = a.acceleration.y;
AzRaw = a.acceleration.z;

GxRaw = g.gyro.x;
GyRaw = g.gyro.y;
GzRaw = g.gyro.z;

MxRaw= compass.getX();
MyRaw= compass.getY();
MzRaw= compass.getZ();

calibrateSensors();

rollA = atan2(AyCal,sqrt(AzCal*AzCal + AxCal*AxCal))*180/PI;
pitchA = atan2(AxCal,sqrt(AzCal*AzCal + AyCal*AyCal))*180/PI;

deltaRoll = GxCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;
deltaPitch = -GyCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;
deltaYaw = -GzCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;
tStart = millis();

rollG = rollG + deltaRoll;
pitchG = pitchG + deltaPitch;
yawG = yawG + deltaYaw;

rollC = alpha*(rollA) + (1-alpha)*(rollC+deltaRoll);
pitchC = alpha*(pitchA) + (1-alpha)*(pitchC+deltaPitch);

rollCrad = rollC*PI/180;
pitchCrad = pitchC*PI/180;

MxCalH = MxCal*cos(pitchCrad) -MyCal*sin(rollCrad)*sin(pitchCrad)-MzCal*cos(rollCrad)*sin(pitchCrad);
MyCalH = MyCal*cos(rollCrad) - MzCal*sin(rollCrad);

yawM = atan2(MyCalH,MxCalH)*180./PI;
yawM=int(yawM +360)%360;
if (abs(yawM-yawC)>300){
  yawC=yawM;
}
if (abs(yawM-yawC)<=300){
yawC = alpha*(yawM) + (1-alpha)*(yawC + deltaYaw);
}

// Serial.print("yawC:");Serial.print(yawC);Serial.print(',');
// Serial.print("yawM:");Serial.print(yawM);Serial.print(',');
// Serial.print("yawG:");Serial.print(yawG);Serial.print(',');
// Serial.print("LL:");Serial.print(-90);Serial.print(',');
// Serial.print("UL:");Serial.println(90);

Serial.print("rollC:");Serial.print(rollC);Serial.print(',');
Serial.print("pitchC:");Serial.print(pitchC);Serial.print(',');
Serial.print("yawC:");Serial.print(yawC);Serial.print(',');
Serial.print("LL:");Serial.print(-90);Serial.print(',');
Serial.print("UL:");Serial.println(90);

delay(100);
}

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#include <Adafruit_MPU6050.h>

#include <Adafruit_Sensor.h>

#include <Wire.h>

#include <QMC5883LCompass.h>

float AxRaw,AyRaw,AzRaw,GxRaw,GyRaw,GzRaw,MxRaw,MyRaw,MzRaw;

float AxCal,AyCal,AzCal,GxCal,GyCal,GzCal,MxCal,MyCal,MzCal;

float rollA,pitchA,yawM,rollC,pitchC,yawC;

float rollG = 0;

float pitchG =0 ;

float yawG = 0;

float deltaRoll = 0;

float deltaPitch = 0;

float deltaYaw = 0;

float alpha = .1;

float rollCrad;

float pitchCrad;

float MxCalH;

float MyCalH;

int tStart =millis();

Adafruit_MPU6050 mpu;

QMC5883LCompass compass;

void setup() {

// put your setup code here, to run once:

Serial.begin(115200);

mpu.begin();

mpu.setI2CBypass(true);

compass.init();

mpu.setGyroRange(MPU6050_RANGE_1000_DEG);

delay(100);

}

void calibrateSensors() {

const float axOffset = 0.45407887789180545;

const float ayOffset = 0.09432915233553185;

const float azOffset = -0.4614157209191969;

const float axScale = 0.10141341897341144;

const float ayScale = 0.10141341897341144;

const float azScale = 0.10141341897341144;

const float gxOffset = -2.277507235645022;

const float gyOffset = 0.8794902155258137;

const float gzOffset = -0.5729577951308232;

const float mxOffset = -103.48885017294003;

const float myOffset = -96.80085481152321;

const float mzOffset = 923.8042898128733;

const float mxScale = 0.001156333898601669;

const float myScale = 0.001012882116988885;

const float mzScale = 0.0009400860982065997;

AxCal = (AxRaw - axOffset) * axScale;

AyCal = (AyRaw - ayOffset) * ayScale;

AzCal = (AzRaw - azOffset) * azScale;

GxCal = GxRaw*180/PI - gxOffset;

GyCal = GyRaw*180/PI - gyOffset;

GzCal = GzRaw*180/PI - gzOffset;

MxCal = (MxRaw - mxOffset) * mxScale;

MyCal = (MyRaw - myOffset) * myScale;

MzCal = (MzRaw - mzOffset) * mzScale;

}

void loop() {

// put your main code here, to run repeatedly:

compass.read();

sensors_event_t a, g, temp;

mpu.getEvent(&a, &g, &temp);

AxRaw = a.acceleration.x;

AyRaw = a.acceleration.y;

AzRaw = a.acceleration.z;

GxRaw = g.gyro.x;

GyRaw = g.gyro.y;

GzRaw = g.gyro.z;

MxRaw= compass.getX();

MyRaw= compass.getY();

MzRaw= compass.getZ();

calibrateSensors();

rollA = atan2(AyCal,sqrt(AzCal*AzCal + AxCal*AxCal))*180/PI;

pitchA = atan2(AxCal,sqrt(AzCal*AzCal + AyCal*AyCal))*180/PI;

deltaRoll = GxCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;

deltaPitch = -GyCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;

deltaYaw = -GzCal*(millis()-tStart)/1000.;

tStart = millis();

rollG = rollG + deltaRoll;

pitchG = pitchG + deltaPitch;

yawG = yawG + deltaYaw;

rollC = alpha*(rollA) + (1-alpha)*(rollC+deltaRoll);

pitchC = alpha*(pitchA) + (1-alpha)*(pitchC+deltaPitch);

rollCrad = rollC*PI/180;

pitchCrad = pitchC*PI/180;

MxCalH = MxCal*cos(pitchCrad) -MyCal*sin(rollCrad)*sin(pitchCrad)-MzCal*cos(rollCrad)*sin(pitchCrad);

Technology Tutorials

Tag Archives: Tilt Compensated Compass

Arduino Digital Compass Project with SSD1306 OLED Display

Removing Digital Compass Glitches and Wrap Around Issues

Making The World a Better Place One High Tech Project at a Time. Enjoy!