MicoAir MTF-01P Integrated Optical Flow & Lidar Distance Sensor for PX4/ArduPilot

Specifications

• Model: MicoAir MTF-01P

• Sensor Integration: Optical Flow Camera + ToF Lidar

• Communication Interface: UART

• Supported Protocols: MAVLink, MSP (MultiWii Serial Protocol)

• Operating Voltage: 5V DC

• Module Length: 33.2mm

• Module Width: 20.8mm

• Module Height: 16.8mm

• Mounting Hole Pitch: 24.3 mm x 12.0 mm

• Mounting Hole Diameter: 2.5mm (M2.5 compatible)

• Connector Type: 6-Pin JST-GH / SH1.0 style

• Firmware Compatibility: PX4, ArduPilot

Applications:

• GPS-Denied Inspection: Inspecting tunnels, under-bridges, or factory ceilings.
  
• Warehouse Automation: Precision hovering for barcode scanning drones.
  
• Educational Robotics: Teaching autonomous navigation without large outdoor fields.
  
• Competition Drones: Essential for indoor events requiring precise position scoring.

Project Evolution

• Prerequisites (The Setup): You should be comfortable configuring a flight controller (Pixhawk/Cube/Matek) with Mission Planner or QGroundControl.
  
• The Upgrade (What you unlock): By adding the MTF-01P, you unlock "Loiter" and "Alt-Hold" modes indoors. Your drone will hold its position as if it had full GPS lock, using the floor texture to calculate velocity and the laser to lock altitude.
  
• Effort Level: Intermediate. Requires soldering 4 wires and changing specific parameters in the flight controller software.

Virtual Technician: Wiring & Setup
⚠ VOLTAGE WARNING: This device operates on 5V. Do NOT connect it to the 12V or Battery voltage pads, or you will instantly destroy the laser module. The Logic level is 3.3V (standard for most Flight Controllers).

Pinout Mapping:

• VCC: Connect to Flight Controller 5V
• GND: Connect to Flight Controller GND
• TX: Connect to Flight Controller RX (e.g., TELEM2 RX)
• RX: Connect to Flight Controller TX (e.g., TELEM2 TX)

Quick Config Guide (Ardupilot):

• Protocol: Set SERIALx_PROTOCOL = 1 (Mavlink 1)
• Baud: Set SERIALx_BAUD = 115 (115200)
• Rangefinder: Set RNGFND1_TYPE = 10 (Mavlink)
• Flow: Set FLOW_TYPE = 5 (Mavlink)
• Reboot: Always reboot the FC after setting these parameters!

Package Includes:

•   1 X MicoAir MTF-01P PX4 Optical Flow & 12m Lidar Range Sensor
•   1 X SH1.0-4P to SH1.0-4P Cable 15cm 
•   1 X SH1.0-4P to SH1.25-6P Cable 20cm
•   1 X SH1.0-4P to GH1.25-6P Cable 20cm

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

1. What exactly does the MTF-01P sensor do? It provides low-altitude telemetry. It measures the drone's distance to the ground and tracks the visual movement of the ground to prevent the drone from drifting horizontally.

2. What is Optical Flow? Optical flow is a computer vision technique. The sensor's camera takes rapid pictures of the ground and tracks how the textures shift from frame to frame, calculating the drone's lateral speed and direction.

3. Why are there two lenses on the module? One lens is the optical flow camera that "looks" at the ground textures. The other is a Time-of-Flight (ToF) Lidar sensor that shoots an invisible laser to measure the exact altitude.

4. Why do I need both sensors combined? Optical flow algorithms must know the exact distance to the object they are tracking to calculate speed accurately. Integrating the Lidar directly next to the camera ensures perfectly synchronized data.

5. Does this module work indoors? Yes! It is specifically designed to provide stable hovering in GPS-denied environments like warehouses, tunnels, and living rooms.

6. Will optical flow work in total darkness? No. Because it uses a camera to track ground textures, it requires ambient lighting to function. If you fly into a pitch-black room, the optical flow will fail (though the Lidar altitude will still work).

7. Does the ground texture matter? Yes, highly. The optical flow camera needs contrast and patterns (like carpet, grass, or concrete). It will struggle to hold position over completely featureless surfaces like plain white glossy tiles or solid painted floors.

8. Can I use this over water or glass? No. Water and glass are highly reflective and refractive. They will confuse both the Lidar laser and the optical flow camera, causing erratic flight behavior.

9. What flight controller firmware is compatible? This module is primarily designed for the PX4 and ArduPilot open-source flight stacks.

10. How does it connect to the flight controller? It connects to a spare UART port on your flight controller (typically the TELEM or GPS port) using the included 6-pin cable.

11. What voltage does this module require? It requires a standard 5V DC supply, which is easily provided by the 5V rail on your flight controller's UART port.

12. What protocol does the MTF-01P use? It typically communicates by outputting data formatted in MAVLink or MSP (MultiWii Serial Protocol), depending on how it is configured.

13. Do I need to calibrate this sensor? Yes. While the Lidar is usually accurate out of the box, optical flow scaling requires calibration within the QGroundControl or Mission Planner software to ensure the drone's movement perfectly matches the sensor's calculations.

14. What is the maximum altitude for the Lidar sensor? Sensors in this class typically have an effective altitude range of roughly 8 meters (about 26 feet) indoors, depending on the reflectivity of the floor.

15. Does this replace my GPS module? No. It replaces the need for GPS to hover in place. However, it cannot tell the drone its global coordinates (latitude/longitude), so you still need a GPS if you want to fly automated outdoor waypoint missions.

16. Which way should I mount the sensor? For standard drone stabilization, the sensor must be mounted on the bottom of the drone, with the two lenses pointing perfectly straight down at the ground.

17. What are the mounting dimensions? The module has four mounting holes. The distance between them is 24.3mm on the long side and 12.0mm on the short side.

18. What size screws do the mounting holes take? The holes have a diameter of 2.5mm, making them compatible with standard M2.5 nylon or metal machine screws.

19. Can I remove the clear casing to save weight? While possible, it is highly discouraged. The casing protects the delicate surface-mount components and lenses from dust and prop wash. At roughly 15g, it is already light enough for micro-drones.

20. Will this work with Betaflight? While Betaflight does support some optical flow sensors via MSP, Betaflight is primarily for acro/racing and does not have the robust autonomous position-hold logic that PX4 and ArduPilot utilize. Use with Betaflight is experimental.