Pixhawk 2.4.8 vibration sensor VIb01

thiriot · March 23, 2026, 8:54am

Hello, does any one as an idea to connect the Vib01?

I need to connect 4 vibration sensors in order to monitor my 4 engines

here are several solution:

1–>i can connect this analog sensor to ADC entries:

2–> other solution could be I2C vibration sensor but i don’d find it on web

3–> i could connect the sensor to an arduino –>something lik that:

Thanks for your ideas

LupusTheCanine · March 23, 2026, 9:12am

Depending on how far your sensors are from the FC using those boards with I2C analog to digital converter could be a good solution. However you will need to write any necessary drivers in C++ as Pixhawk 2.4.8 lacks support for scripting.

Juergen-Fahlbusch · March 23, 2026, 9:16am

I am not sure but I don’t think this sensor is directly supported by ardupilot firmware. So you might run in the same problem as with your temperature sensors. You have to change or add a driver to your firmware b changing the Firmware itself.
From measurement point it is best do digitize the signal near to the sensor and use digitial signals instead of analog signals

geofrancis · March 23, 2026, 10:32am

if you can use arduino, connect them to that then send them as named float mavlink messages to the flight controller.

thiriot · March 23, 2026, 1:33pm

I will try this solution for 1 sensor first and several after

thanks all

thiriot · March 24, 2026, 2:48pm

Seems I need a logic level converter between Pixhawk (3,3V) and Arduino Nano (5V)

Do you confirm?

Here is connection details:

Juergen-Fahlbusch · March 24, 2026, 3:21pm

In direction Pixhawk to Arduino is no level shifting necessary. The 3.3V output of the FC is high enough to be recognized by the arduino input.
In direction Arduino to Pixhawk you only need a level shifting resistor network for example on Arduino output pin to GND 10kOhm + 20kOhm in series with the Pixhawk input connected to the interconnection point of the two resistors

thiriot · March 24, 2026, 3:32pm

OK–> i will try

thiriot · March 24, 2026, 3:35pm

Do you know where on Pixhawk I can recover Arduino Alimentation (7V-12V)?

maybe i can recover this voltage somewhere in the drone (ESC/Batteries)

Juergen-Fahlbusch · March 24, 2026, 5:10pm

Why you need 7 to 12V?
My Arduino Nano also runs direct with 5V on the 5V pin as input. In this case the onboard 5V regulator is not used.

thiriot · March 26, 2026, 2:18pm

Today drone tested ok with 3 Temperature sensors 23°C & 1 vib sensor 0,16 (MP Quick View+ CtrlF/Mavlink Inspector “value” View)

–>next step: to configure 3 more Vib Sensors

thiriot · March 27, 2026, 3:19pm

With 4 Vib sensors, with arduino, i need to generate a MAVLink.h dedicated file

following explanation here

i tried this:

with xml input is:

error i have:

whatever i choice C or javascript language

any idea?

maybe my XML is not good (i recovered it from Copilot!)

how to write the xml is described here: link

geofrancis · March 27, 2026, 5:29pm

I have no idea what rabbit hole the AI is taking you down, you can send as many as you want as long as they have different names.

this is my motor controller that uses arduino to send named floats, it should give you an idea where to start, they are part of the standard mavlink library.
#include “mavlink/common/mavlink.h”

send a mavlink heartbeat at 1hz to the flight controller and it will show up as a mavlink device on mission planner.

github.com/geofrancis/Hoverboard_Ardupilot_RC_Telemetry

mavlink_IO.ino

dc3eab596


      
              // Serial.print("mavhb3");

              mavlink_msg_heartbeat_pack(1, 142, &msg, type, autopilot_type, system_mode, custom_mode, system_state);

              uint16_t len = mavlink_msg_to_send_buffer(buf, &msg);

              Serial1.write(buf, len);

            }

          }

          

          

          

          

          void Mavlink_Telemetry1() {

            if (VOLT1 > 1) {

              mavlink_message_t msg;

              uint32_t time_boot_ms = millis();

              //Serial.print("mavT1");

              const char* name = "THRR1";

              float value = (THRR1);

              mavlink_msg_named_value_float_pack(1, 140, &msg, time_boot_ms, name, value);

              uint8_t buf[MAVLINK_MAX_PACKET_LEN];

              uint16_t len = mavlink_msg_to_send_buffer(buf, &msg);

              Serial1.write(buf, len);