Le blog de l'entreprise ADI ADXL357 Low Noise Low Drift 3-Axis MEMS Accelerometers With Digital Output For Drone

Shenzhen Mingjiada Electronics Co., Ltd. supplies and recycles the ADI ADXL357, a low-noise, low-drift, three-axis MEMS accelerometer with digital output, suitable for drone applications.

ADI’s ADXL357 is a three-axis MEMS accelerometer designed for high-precision industrial and aerospace applications. With industry-leading low noise density, ultra-low drift, long-term stability and a native digital output architecture, it is perfectly suited to the dynamic flight detection, attitude monitoring and motion parameter acquisition requirements of multirotor, fixed-wing and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones, making it the preferred core component for mid- to high-end drone inertial navigation systems.

I. Core Positioning and Basic Characteristics of the ADXL357

The ADXL357 is a digital-output, three-axis MEMS accelerometer from ADI’s ADXL35x series, designed for high-precision measurement. Unlike the analogue-output ADXL356 in the same series, this device integrates a complete digital signal processing unit, eliminating the need for an external ADC chip and enabling the direct output of digital measurement data. This significantly simplifies the hardware circuit design of drones, whilst reducing system power consumption and the risk of signal interference. The ADXL357 combines four key advantages: low noise, low zero-point drift, low power consumption and high stability. It addresses the pain points associated with traditional MEMS accelerometers in the complex operating conditions of drones, such as high noise levels, severe temperature drift, long-term measurement inaccuracies and sensitivity to vibration interference.

The ADXL357 supports multiple programmable measurement ranges, with three default options: ±10.24g, ±20.48g and ±40.96g. It can accommodate acceleration measurement requirements across various scenarios, including low-speed attitude detection for small consumer-grade drones, high-speed manoeuvrable flight for industrial-grade drones, and bumpy operating conditions for heavy-load drones, offering flexible range configuration and exceptional compatibility. It also features a built-in, optimised vibration suppression architecture with excellent vibration rectification error suppression capabilities, ensuring the continuity and accuracy of measurement data even under harsh dynamic conditions such as high-frequency vibrations and airflow disturbances experienced by drones.

II. Core Technical Advantages of the ADXL357

1. Ultra-low noise density ensures precise capture of minute attitude changes

Micro-adjustments during drone hovering, precision operations at low altitudes, and fine-tuned flight along predefined routes require sensors to capture minute attitude changes. Conventional accelerometers are prone to data jitter due to excessive noise, leading to frequent corrections by the flight control system and body oscillations. The ADXL357 boasts industry-leading low-noise characteristics, with a noise density of just 80 μg/√Hz in high-range mode, with even better noise performance under static and low-speed conditions. It can accurately detect minute tilt angles and subtle changes in acceleration, significantly enhancing the smoothness of attitude calculations whilst eliminating issues such as flight jitter and positional drift, making it perfectly suited to high-precision hovering and low-speed cruising scenarios for drones.

2. Extremely low drift characteristics, reducing reliance on calibration

Drone flight environments experience a wide range of temperature variations, from low-temperature conditions at high altitudes to high-temperature operating scenarios on the ground. Temperature fluctuations can easily cause zero-point drift in standard accelerometers, leading to the accumulation of measurement errors. This necessitates frequent manual calibration, which affects operational efficiency and flight reliability. The ADXL357 incorporates ADI’s proprietary MEMS temperature compensation architecture, achieving ultra-low 0g offset temperature drift with minimal temperature drift error across the entire temperature range. It also offers excellent long-term stability, with no significant zero-point drift during prolonged continuous operation. This feature significantly reduces the frequency of calibration required for drone flight control systems, alleviates the burden on software compensation algorithms, and ensures the accuracy of flight attitude data across the full temperature range and throughout the entire flight duration, meeting the demands of extended-duration drone operations.

3. Native digital output simplifies drone system design

The ADXL357 integrates a high-precision digital signal processing module and supports universal SPI and I²C digital communication interfaces. It directly outputs digitally processed acceleration data that has been filtered and calibrated, eliminating the need for external signal conditioning circuits such as operational amplifiers and ADCs. Compared to sensors with analogue output, this not only streamlines the hardware structure of the UAV flight control board, reduces the PCB footprint and lowers the overall power consumption of the unit, but also completely eliminates electromagnetic interference and signal attenuation issues during analogue signal transmission, thereby enhancing the stability and reliability of data transmission. This aligns with the design trends towards smaller, lighter and more highly integrated UAVs.

4. High Vibration Resistance and Stability, Suitable for Complex Flight Conditions

During drone flight, complex disturbances such as high-frequency motor vibrations, airflow impacts and take-off/landing jolts are present; ordinary sensors are prone to data distortion and measurement fluctuations. The ADXL357 has been optimised for industrial-grade reliability and features excellent vibration-resistant rectification performance, effectively suppressing measurement errors caused by flight vibrations. Its data repeatability and stability far exceed those of standard consumer-grade sensors. Furthermore, with an operating bandwidth of up to 1 kHz, the device precisely meets the dynamic response requirements of UAVs during high-speed manoeuvres, rapid turns and swift attitude changes, without data lag or response distortion.

5. Low-power design to meet UAV endurance requirements

Drones impose stringent requirements on overall power consumption management, and sensor power consumption directly affects flight duration. The ADXL357 utilises an ultra-low-power chip architecture with extremely low operating power consumption. Whilst ensuring high-precision measurement performance, it places no additional burden on the drone’s power supply system, perfectly meeting the low-power endurance design requirements of both consumer-grade and industrial-grade drones, thereby balancing performance and flight duration.

III. Key Electrical and Performance Parameters of the ADXL357

To meet the requirements of high-precision inertial measurement in drone applications, the core parameters of the ADXL357 have been precisely optimised. The key specifications are as follows:

- Measurement range: Three programmable options (±10.24g, ±20.48g, ±40.96g), covering all drone flight acceleration measurement requirements

- Noise density: Typically 80 μg/√Hz; ultra-low noise enables precise detection of subtle attitude changes

- Temperature drift: Minimal zero-point temperature drift ensures high-precision, stable output across the entire temperature range, reducing system calibration costs

- Operating bandwidth: 1 kHz, meeting the requirements for rapid response to dynamic drone attitude changes

- Communication interfaces: Standard SPI and I²C digital interfaces, compatible with mainstream drone flight control units

- Operating temperature: Covers an industrial-grade wide temperature range, suitable for complex temperature variations in both high- and low-altitude outdoor environments

- Reliability: High vibration resistance and high repeatability, with stable performance during long-term continuous operation

IV. Core Application Scenarios for the ADXL357 in UAVs

1. UAV Attitude Estimation and Flight Control Systems

Attitude estimation is central to autonomous UAV flight. The high-precision, low-noise, drift-free triaxial acceleration data output by the ADXL357 can be fused with gyroscope and magnetometer data to accurately calculate the UAV’s pitch, roll and yaw angles. This enhances the control precision of the flight control system, enabling stable hovering, smooth manoeuvring and constant-speed flight, whilst eliminating issues such as airframe vibration and attitude deviation. It is suitable for high-precision UAV operations such as aerial photography, inspection and surveying.

2. High-precision stationary hovering and route flight

To meet the requirements for stationary operations and fixed-route cruising of crop protection, inspection and surveying drones, the ADXL357, with its ultra-low drift characteristics, can maintain precise attitude and position references for extended periods. This prevents route deviations and positional drift caused by the accumulation of sensor errors, significantly improving the operational accuracy and mission completion rate of the drone.

3. Dynamic motion monitoring and fault diagnosis

During dynamic operations such as high-speed manoeuvres, rapid ascents, dives and turns, the ADXL357’s high bandwidth and high dynamic response enable precise capture of instantaneous changes in acceleration, facilitating real-time monitoring of flight dynamics. Furthermore, by analysing anomalies in acceleration data, it assists in identifying faults such as abnormal motor vibration, loose airframe components and aerodynamic overload, thereby providing data support for drone flight safety and condition monitoring.

4. Industrial-Grade UAV Inertial Navigation Support

In complex environments such as indoors, canyons and dense forests where GPS signals are unavailable, UAVs rely on inertial navigation to achieve autonomous flight. The ADXL357’s extremely low error accumulation and long-term measurement stability effectively reduce position drift errors in inertial navigation, thereby enhancing the reliability of autonomous flight in satellite-free navigation scenarios. It is well-suited to the navigation requirements of UAVs used for industrial inspections, security reconnaissance and indoor operations.

V. Summary of the ADXL357

Compared to traditional consumer-grade MEMS accelerometers, the ADI ADXL357 comprehensively addresses industry pain points in drone flight scenarios, such as noise and jitter, temperature-induced drift, vibration interference, error accumulation and the need for frequent calibration. Its low-noise characteristics ensure high precision in micro-attitude detection, whilst its low-drift characteristics enable long-term stable measurement. The native digital output simplifies hardware design and enhances system stability, whilst high vibration resistance and a wide temperature range ensure suitability for complex flight conditions.

Thanks to its comprehensive performance advantages, the ADXL357 has become the preferred component for inertial measurement units (IMUs) in mid- to high-end consumer drones, industrial-grade operational drones and specialised reconnaissance drones. It effectively enhances drone flight stability, control precision, operational reliability and environmental adaptability, providing robust hardware support for high-precision autonomous flight and intelligent operations.