MPU6050 with Arduino Uno R3
Wiring for the MPU6050 (GY-521) accelerometer + gyro on the Arduino Uno R3 (ATmega328P, 5 V logic), chosen with the same pin rules BoardPilot uses: default buses first, and no pins that are used for flash, USB, the debugger or booting.
Wiring
| MPU6050 pin | Role | Arduino Uno R3 pin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| VCC | Power | 5V | |
| GND | Ground | GND | |
| SCL | I2C clock (SCL) | A5 (PC5) | |
| SDA | I2C data (SDA) | A4 (PC4) | |
| INT | Interrupt | 2 (PD2) |
Check before you power it on
- Supply: 5 V from the 5V pin.
- I2C uses the board’s default pins A4 (SDA) and A5 (SCL). Most modules include pull-up resistors; if the part is not found, check them and swap-test SDA/SCL.
- To make sure it is the real chip, read register 0x75: a genuine part answers 0x68.
Test code (Arduino)
#include <Wire.h>
void setup() {
Serial.begin(115200);
Wire.begin(); // SDA = A4, SCL = A5 (the board's default I2C pins)
Wire.beginTransmission(0x68);
bool found = Wire.endTransmission() == 0;
Serial.println(found ? "MPU6050 (GY-521) accelerometer + gyro found at 0x68" : "Not found: check power, GND and SDA/SCL");
}
void loop() {}
Arduino board: arduino:avr:uno.
Questions
Which Arduino Uno R3 pins do I use for the MPU6050?
VCC → 5V, GND → GND, SCL → A5 (PC5), SDA → A4 (PC4), INT → 2 (PD2).
Does the MPU6050 work with the Arduino Uno R3 at 5 V?
Yes: the MPU6050 runs at 3.3-5 V and the Arduino Uno R3 uses 5 V signals, so no level shifting is needed.
What is the I2C address of the MPU6050?
0x68 or 0x69. An I2C scan (BoardPilot does it for you) shows which one your module uses.
BoardPilot checks this wiring in 3D as you build it, and finds crossed or missing wires on the real board.
Download BoardPilotFull Arduino Uno R3 pinout · MPU6050 (GY-521) accelerometer + gyro: all pins and data
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