Firmenblog über INFINEON DPS368 XENSIV™ Ultra Small Waterproof Pressure Sensor For Drones Applications

Shenzhen Mingjiada Electronics Co., Ltd. supplies and recycles the Infineon DPS368 XENSIV™ ultra-compact waterproof pressure sensor, suitable for drone applications.

The XENSIV™ DPS368 is an IPx8-rated capacitive MEMS digital barometric pressure and temperature combination sensor launched by Infineon. Designed specifically for harsh outdoor operating conditions, it offers protection against immersion in water to a depth of 50 metres for one hour, whilst also achieving a miniaturised package and centimetre-level altitude measurement accuracy. It serves as the core sensing component for drone flight control systems in altitude calculation, altitude hold and precision landing.

I. Key Technical Features of the DPS368

1. Ultra-compact packaging

Utilising a PG‑VLGA‑8 pin package with dimensions of just 2.0 × 2.5 × 1.1 mm, it significantly reduces PCB layout space on flight control boards. It is compatible with the compact hardware designs of small aerial photography drones, FPV racing drones and industrial drones, thereby reducing the overall weight of the aircraft.

2. IPx8 High-Reliability Environmental Protection

Certified to IPx8, it can withstand continuous immersion at a depth of 50 metres for one hour. It offers dustproof, moisture-proof and anti-condensation capabilities, enabling it to cope with complex outdoor scenarios such as flying in the rain, high humidity and dense fog, and water splashes. This reduces the design pressure on the enclosure’s sealing structure and enhances the drone’s overall environmental adaptability.

3. Capacitive Sensing for Superior Altitude Measurement Performance

Based on the principle of capacitive MEMS sensing, it exhibits excellent temperature drift performance, suppressing altitude fluctuations caused by temperature changes.

- Measurement accuracy: resolution ±0.002 hPa (equivalent to ±2 cm in altitude), relative accuracy ±0.06 hPa (±0.5 m), absolute accuracy ±1 hPa (±8 m)

- Pressure measurement range: 300–1,200 hPa, covering the full range of atmospheric pressure conditions from low-altitude basins to operations at altitudes of several thousand metres

- Integrated temperature sensor with an accuracy of ±0.5 °C, which can be used for barometric temperature compensation to further optimise the quality of altitude data output

4. Ultra-low power consumption, suitable for battery-powered drone systems

- Typical current of 1.7 μA in 1 Hz sampling pressure measurement mode; standby current as low as 0.5 μA; multi-level sampling modes allow flexible switching between low-power and high-precision modes, minimising the impact of sensor power consumption on drone flight endurance

- Supply voltage: 1.7 V–3.6 V; directly compatible with common power supply ranges in flight control systems, eliminating the need for additional complex power conversion circuits

5. Flexible digital interfaces and on-chip resources

Supports both I²C (up to 3.4 MHz) and SPI (up to 10 MHz) communication interfaces, with interrupt output support; features a built-in 32-byte FIFO data buffer to cache acquired data, reducing the load on the host MCU. With a maximum sampling rate of 128 Hz, it meets the flight controller’s requirements for high-frequency altitude updates and supports real-time altitude calculation during rapid manoeuvres.

The operating temperature range is –40°C to +85°C, meeting the wide-temperature operating conditions of drones, such as low temperatures at high altitudes and intense summer heat. It features ESD protection and resistance to soldering drift, ensuring strong soldering stability in mass production.

II. DPS368: Ultra-compact Design, Suited to the Lightweight and Integrated Requirements of UAVs

UAVs impose stringent requirements on airframe payload and internal space; lightweight, compact sensors are key to achieving long endurance and high integration in UAVs. Infineon’s DPS368 is currently one of the smallest IPx8-certified waterproof pressure sensors on the market, with a package size of just 2.0 × 2.5 × 1.1 mm. Its extremely compact dimensions allow for flexible integration into the bodies of various micro-drones, foldable consumer drones and small industrial inspection drones, without occupying significant space within the device.

Compared to traditional drone pressure sensors, the DPS368 significantly reduces the weight of the hardware, effectively lowering the overall payload pressure on the drone and helping to extend flight endurance and enhance flight manoeuvrability. At the same time, its simple packaging structure is compatible with standardised surface-mount technology, simplifying the drone motherboard assembly process, reducing the difficulty of mass production and lowering production costs, whilst perfectly meeting the design requirements for large-scale, lightweight drone production.

III. DPS368’s IPx8-rated professional waterproof protection unlocks all-weather, all-scenario drone operations

Drone operating environments are complex and variable. Outdoor conditions such as rain, dense fog, high humidity with dust, and low-altitude water crossings can easily cause ordinary barometric pressure sensors to become damp, accumulate dust or suffer damage, leading to safety hazards such as distorted flight data and loss of attitude control. The Infineon DPS368 features a built-in gel protection structure, delivering robust environmental resilience without the need for bulky external protective casings. Certified to IPx8 water and dust resistance standards, it can operate continuously and reliably for one hour in water up to 50 metres deep, whilst offering excellent protection against moisture, dust and corrosion.

Thanks to its robust environmental adaptability, the DPS368 completely overcomes the operational limitations of traditional sensors. It enables drones to operate stably in harsh conditions—such as aerial photography in the rain, inspections in foggy conditions, operations on dusty construction sites, and low-altitude surveys near water—effectively preventing humidity, dust and water vapour from interfering with sensor readings. This ensures the reliability of drone operations in all weather conditions and significantly broadens the scope of drone applications.

IV. DPS368: Centimetre-level ultra-high precision, precisely empowering UAV flight control

Precise altitude positioning and stable attitude control are essential for ensuring that drones can hover smoothly, perform tasks at specific locations, and take off and land with precision. The Infineon DPS368 is equipped with Infineon’s proprietary XENSIV™ MEMS sensor technology, combining ultra-high barometric pressure detection accuracy with temperature sensing capabilities. It supports the simultaneous acquisition of both barometric pressure and temperature parameters, enabling real-time detection of subtle changes in high-altitude barometric pressure and achieving an ultra-high altitude resolution of ±2 centimetres.

This exceptional measurement accuracy enables the UAV flight control system to detect minute altitude fluctuations in real time and rapidly perform precise dynamic adjustments. This completely resolves issues commonly encountered with traditional UAVs, such as hover drift, significant altitude deviations and unstable take-offs and landings, thereby ensuring the stability of operations including fixed-point hovering, route flight, precise mapping and close-range inspections. Furthermore, the sensor boasts excellent dynamic response speed, making it suitable for dynamic flight scenarios such as rapid ascent and descent and attitude changes. By synchronising barometric data in real time, it provides precise and efficient data support for flight control algorithms, significantly enhancing the precision and safety of drone flight control.

V. Stable and Reliable Performance of the DPS368, Suitable for Long-Term, High-Frequency Drone Operations

As drones are typically deployed for long-term, high-frequency outdoor operations, they place extremely high demands on sensor stability, interference resistance and service life. As a high-quality, industrial-grade sensor chip, the Infineon DPS368 has undergone rigorous operational testing and performance calibration. It possesses exceptional resistance to environmental interference and can withstand external factors such as high airflow fluctuations, sudden temperature changes and electromagnetic interference, whilst continuously outputting stable and accurate measurement data.

Furthermore, the product complies with the RoHS environmental standard and features excellent power consumption control; its low-power operation effectively reduces the overall energy consumption of the drone. Combined with a highly durable packaging structure, it meets the demands of long-term, uninterrupted drone operations, minimising equipment failure rates and reducing maintenance costs, whilst significantly enhancing the drone’s overall service life and operational stability.

VI. Key Drone Application Scenarios for the DPS368

Thanks to its comprehensive advantages of miniaturisation, water and dust resistance, high precision and high stability, the Infineon DPS368 XENSIV™ pressure sensor is widely suited to various drone application scenarios:

- Consumer-grade aerial photography drones: Precise hovering, smooth flight along pre-set routes and adaptive altitude adjustment ensure stable and fluid aerial footage, suitable for everyday outdoor shooting as well as in rainy or snowy conditions;

- Industrial inspection drones: Inspection of complex environments such as power grids, infrastructure, mining sites and water conservancy projects; resistant to interference from dust, high humidity and proximity to water, enabling precise altitude positioning and stable flight;

- Surveying and exploration drones: Leveraging centimetre-level high-precision detection to support high-altitude topographic surveying and data collection, ensuring the accuracy of surveying data;

- Special-purpose drones: All-weather operational scenarios such as search and rescue, agricultural and forestry crop protection, and low-altitude surveying; suitable for complex climatic conditions, ensuring flight safety and operational precision.

Summary

The Infineon DPS368 XENSIV™ ultra-compact waterproof pressure sensor, with its miniaturised size, IPx8 extreme protection, centimetre-level high precision, and high stability with low power consumption, precisely addresses the core challenges of lightweight drone design, all-weather operation and high-precision flight control. As the core hardware for altitude sensing and attitude control in drones, the DPS368 significantly enhances drones’ environmental adaptability, flight stability and operational precision, making it the preferred sensor solution for the upgrading and evolution of both consumer and industrial drones.