BMP280 Barometric Pressure and Altitude Sensor I2C/SPI Module

BMP280 Barometric Pressure and Altitude Sensor I2C/SPI Module

The BMP280 Barometer Sensor is a tiny, highly affordable atmospheric breakout module designed to precisely capture temperature and barometric pressure. Manufactured by Bosch Sensortec, the core IC represents a significant generational upgrade over older legacy sensors like the BMP085, BMP180, and BMP183. Because air pressure shifts predictably as you move vertically, this unit effectively doubles as a highly capable, centimeter-accurate altimeter. Consequently, it is a massive favorite in the maker and drone communities. The BMP280 Barometer Sensor delivers premium environmental tracking data without demanding heavy real estate on your frame.

Features

• Generational Upgrade: Features lower physical noise and faster conversion calculations than older BMP180 series chips.

• Dual Interface Support: Operates seamlessly via classic $I^2C$ for simple wiring, or high-speed SPI to avoid bus address collisions.

• Incredible Precision: Delivers a tight absolute pressure accuracy of $\pm 1\text{ hPa}$ and standard temperature accuracy within $\pm 1.0^\circ\text{C}$.

• Low Altitude Noise: Achieves a microscopic altitude noise ceiling of just $0.25\text{m}$ for steady position tracking.

Key Points

• Pulls an ultra-low peak current of just 1.12mA to guard heavily against pulling too much current from small battery supplies.

• Widely used as a vertical velocity indicator to track quick rising or sinking speeds in custom RC aircraft.

• Pre-built community libraries are massively available across the internet for both Arduino IDE and CircuitPython.

• Comes as a bare PCB alongside a standard break-off male header strip (requires basic soldering to attach).

Specifications

• Image Sensor: 1 by 2.7 inch Sony CMOS sensor with 8 megapixels.

• Video Resolutions: 4K at 25 frames per second, 2K at 30 frames per second, and 1080p at 30 frames per second.

• Video Storage Format: MP4 format with a bitrate of 12 Megabits per second using efficient compression.

• Controllable Pitch Range: Negative 90 degrees straight down up to positive 25 degrees pointing up.

• Controllable Yaw Range: Negative 270 degrees to positive 270 degrees.

• Operating Voltage: 11 Volts to 25.2 Volts (supports 3S to 6S batteries).

• Maximum Power Consumption: Peaks at around 20 Watts during heavy tracking and zooming.

• Physical Weight: Roughly 628 grams including the quick-release board.