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# DistanceSensor (UORB message)

DISTANCE_SENSOR message data.

**TOPICS:** distance_sensor

## Fields

| Name             | Type         | Unit [Frame] | Range/Enum | Description                                                                                                            |
| ---------------- | ------------ | ------------ | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| timestamp        | `uint64`     |              |            | time since system start (microseconds)                                                                                 |
| device_id        | `uint32`     |              |            | unique device ID for the sensor that does not change between power cycles                                              |
| min_distance     | `float32`    |              |            | Minimum distance the sensor can measure (in m)                                                                         |
| max_distance     | `float32`    |              |            | Maximum distance the sensor can measure (in m)                                                                         |
| current_distance | `float32`    |              |            | Current distance reading (in m)                                                                                        |
| variance         | `float32`    |              |            | Measurement variance (in m^2), 0 for unknown / invalid readings                                                        |
| signal_quality   | `int8`       |              |            | Signal quality in percent (0...100%), where 0 = invalid signal, 100 = perfect signal, and -1 = unknown signal quality. |
| type             | `uint8`      |              |            | Type from MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR enum                                                                                     |
| h_fov            | `float32`    |              |            | Sensor horizontal field of view (rad)                                                                                  |
| v_fov            | `float32`    |              |            | Sensor vertical field of view (rad)                                                                                    |
| q                | `float32[4]` |              |            | Quaterion sensor orientation with respect to the vehicle body frame to specify the orientation ROTATION_CUSTOM         |
| orientation      | `uint8`      |              |            | Direction the sensor faces from MAV_SENSOR_ORIENTATION enum                                                            |
| mode             | `uint8`      |              |            |

## Constants

| Name                                                                        | Type    | Value | Description                   |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | ----- | ----------------------------- |
| <a id="#MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_LASER"></a> MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_LASER           | `uint8` | 0     |
| <a id="#MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_ULTRASOUND"></a> MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_ULTRASOUND | `uint8` | 1     |
| <a id="#MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_INFRARED"></a> MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_INFRARED     | `uint8` | 2     |
| <a id="#MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_RADAR"></a> MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_RADAR           | `uint8` | 3     |
| <a id="#ROTATION_YAW_0"></a> ROTATION_YAW_0                                 | `uint8` | 0     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_NONE      |
| <a id="#ROTATION_YAW_45"></a> ROTATION_YAW_45                               | `uint8` | 1     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_45    |
| <a id="#ROTATION_YAW_90"></a> ROTATION_YAW_90                               | `uint8` | 2     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_90    |
| <a id="#ROTATION_YAW_135"></a> ROTATION_YAW_135                             | `uint8` | 3     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_135   |
| <a id="#ROTATION_YAW_180"></a> ROTATION_YAW_180                             | `uint8` | 4     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_180   |
| <a id="#ROTATION_YAW_225"></a> ROTATION_YAW_225                             | `uint8` | 5     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_225   |
| <a id="#ROTATION_YAW_270"></a> ROTATION_YAW_270                             | `uint8` | 6     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_270   |
| <a id="#ROTATION_YAW_315"></a> ROTATION_YAW_315                             | `uint8` | 7     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_315   |
| <a id="#ROTATION_FORWARD_FACING"></a> ROTATION_FORWARD_FACING               | `uint8` | 0     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_NONE      |
| <a id="#ROTATION_RIGHT_FACING"></a> ROTATION_RIGHT_FACING                   | `uint8` | 2     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_90    |
| <a id="#ROTATION_BACKWARD_FACING"></a> ROTATION_BACKWARD_FACING             | `uint8` | 4     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_180   |
| <a id="#ROTATION_LEFT_FACING"></a> ROTATION_LEFT_FACING                     | `uint8` | 6     | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_270   |
| <a id="#ROTATION_UPWARD_FACING"></a> ROTATION_UPWARD_FACING                 | `uint8` | 24    | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_PITCH_90  |
| <a id="#ROTATION_DOWNWARD_FACING"></a> ROTATION_DOWNWARD_FACING             | `uint8` | 25    | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_PITCH_270 |
| <a id="#ROTATION_CUSTOM"></a> ROTATION_CUSTOM                               | `uint8` | 100   | MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_CUSTOM    |
| <a id="#MODE_UNKNOWN"></a> MODE_UNKNOWN                                     | `uint8` | 0     |
| <a id="#MODE_ENABLED"></a> MODE_ENABLED                                     | `uint8` | 1     |
| <a id="#MODE_DISABLED"></a> MODE_DISABLED                                   | `uint8` | 2     |

## Source Message

[Source file (GitHub)](https://github.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot/blob/main/msg/DistanceSensor.msg)

::: details Click here to see original file

```c
# DISTANCE_SENSOR message data

uint64 timestamp		# time since system start (microseconds)

uint32 device_id		# unique device ID for the sensor that does not change between power cycles

float32 min_distance		# Minimum distance the sensor can measure (in m)
float32 max_distance		# Maximum distance the sensor can measure (in m)
float32 current_distance	# Current distance reading (in m)
float32 variance		# Measurement variance (in m^2), 0 for unknown / invalid readings
int8 signal_quality		# Signal quality in percent (0...100%), where 0 = invalid signal, 100 = perfect signal, and -1 = unknown signal quality.

uint8 type			# Type from MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR enum
uint8 MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_LASER = 0
uint8 MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_ULTRASOUND = 1
uint8 MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_INFRARED = 2
uint8 MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_RADAR = 3

float32 h_fov # Sensor horizontal field of view (rad)
float32 v_fov # Sensor vertical field of view (rad)
float32[4] q # Quaterion sensor orientation with respect to the vehicle body frame to specify the orientation ROTATION_CUSTOM

uint8 orientation		# Direction the sensor faces from MAV_SENSOR_ORIENTATION enum

uint8 ROTATION_YAW_0		= 0 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_NONE
uint8 ROTATION_YAW_45		= 1 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_45
uint8 ROTATION_YAW_90		= 2 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_90
uint8 ROTATION_YAW_135		= 3 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_135
uint8 ROTATION_YAW_180		= 4 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_180
uint8 ROTATION_YAW_225		= 5 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_225
uint8 ROTATION_YAW_270		= 6 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_270
uint8 ROTATION_YAW_315		= 7 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_315

uint8 ROTATION_FORWARD_FACING	= 0 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_NONE
uint8 ROTATION_RIGHT_FACING	= 2 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_90
uint8 ROTATION_BACKWARD_FACING	= 4 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_180
uint8 ROTATION_LEFT_FACING	= 6 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_YAW_270

uint8 ROTATION_UPWARD_FACING   = 24 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_PITCH_90
uint8 ROTATION_DOWNWARD_FACING = 25 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_PITCH_270

uint8 ROTATION_CUSTOM          = 100 # MAV_SENSOR_ROTATION_CUSTOM

uint8 mode
uint8 MODE_UNKNOWN  = 0
uint8 MODE_ENABLED  = 1
uint8 MODE_DISABLED = 2
```

:::