Tilt Compensated Heading Guide
Why This Calculation Matters
A tilt compensated heading calculator helps turn raw sensor data into a useful direction. A magnetometer senses the Earth field. An accelerometer estimates gravity. Together, they can describe the device attitude and the magnetic north direction. This page adjusts both sensor groups before the final angle is shown.
Calibration Inputs
Raw readings often contain bias. A case magnet, battery, screw, or nearby wire can shift every magnetic axis. These shifts are called hard iron offsets. Scale errors also appear when one axis responds more strongly than another. Soft iron scale inputs help correct those changes. The calculator subtracts offsets, then multiplies by scale factors.
Tilt And Declination
The accelerometer is used to estimate roll and pitch. These angles show how the device is tilted. A level compass can use only horizontal magnetic values. A tilted device needs compensation. The formulas rotate the magnetic vector back toward the horizontal plane. Then the arctangent function gives a heading angle.
Declination is another important option. Magnetic north and true north are not always the same. Local declination adds or subtracts that difference. Positive values move the result east. Negative values move it west. You can enter zero when magnetic heading is enough.
Reading The Output
The tool also reports intermediate values. It shows calibrated magnetic axes, normalized acceleration, roll, pitch, heading, quadrant, and cardinal direction. These details make testing easier. They also help compare results with embedded code, phone sensors, or field measurements.
Accuracy Tips
Use stable samples for better accuracy. Keep the sensor away from motors and large metal objects. Rotate the device slowly during calibration. Check that acceleration is close to one g when the device is still. Very high acceleration means the tilt estimate may be unreliable.
This calculator is useful for robotics, mapping, drones, phones, and outdoor instruments. It is not a replacement for sensor fusion filters. Gyroscope data can improve dynamic motion. Still, these equations give a clear reference. They are excellent for learning, debugging, and simple navigation tasks.
Save the result when you need records. The CSV export works well for spreadsheets. The PDF export is useful for reports. Example values are included, so you can test the form before using your own device data. Repeat measurements at different orientations to reveal wiring mistakes and axis swaps.