diff --git a/conf/airframes/examples/microjet_imu_xsens.xml b/conf/airframes/examples/microjet_imu_xsens.xml
index 1ab3a1316b..92d91d3b86 100644
--- a/conf/airframes/examples/microjet_imu_xsens.xml
+++ b/conf/airframes/examples/microjet_imu_xsens.xml
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@
     <subsystem name="telemetry" 	type="transparent"/>
 
     <!-- Sensors -->
-    <subsystem name="imu"           type="xsens">
-      <configure name="XSENS_UART_NR" value="3"/>
-      <configure name="XSENS_UART_BAUD" value="B115200"/>
-    </subsystem>
+    <module name="imu"           type="xsens">
+      <configure name="XSENS_PORT" value="uart3"/>
+      <configure name="XSENS_BAUD" value="B115200"/>
+    </module>
     <subsystem name="ahrs" type="int_cmpl_quat"/>
     <subsystem name="gps" type="ublox"/>
     <subsystem name="control"/>
diff --git a/conf/firmwares/subsystems/fixedwing/imu_xsens.makefile b/conf/firmwares/subsystems/fixedwing/imu_xsens.makefile
index 0c057ddc86..67d4ac948e 100644
--- a/conf/firmwares/subsystems/fixedwing/imu_xsens.makefile
+++ b/conf/firmwares/subsystems/fixedwing/imu_xsens.makefile
@@ -1,70 +1 @@
-# Hey Emacs, this is a -*- makefile -*-
-
-# XSens Mti just providing IMU measurements
-
-#    <subsystem name="imu" type="xsens">
-#      <configure name="XSENS_UART_NR" value="0"/>
-#      <configure name="XSENS_UART_BAUD" value="B115200"/>
-#    </subsystem>
-#
-#  <section name="IMU" prefix="IMU_">
-#    <define name="GYRO_P_SIGN"  value="1"/>
-#    <define name="GYRO_Q_SIGN"  value="1"/>
-#    <define name="GYRO_R_SIGN"  value="1"/>
-#
-#    <define name="GYRO_P_NEUTRAL" value="0"/>
-#    <define name="GYRO_R_NEUTRAL" value="0"/>
-#    <define name="GYRO_Q_NEUTRAL" value="0"/>
-#
-#    <define name="GYRO_P_SENS" value="1" integer="16"/>
-#    <define name="GYRO_R_SENS" value="1" integer="16"/>
-#    <define name="GYRO_Q_SENS" value="1" integer="16"/>
-#
-#    <define name="ACCEL_X_SIGN"  value="1"/>
-#    <define name="ACCEL_Y_SIGN"  value="1"/>
-#    <define name="ACCEL_Z_SIGN"  value="1"/>
-#
-#    <define name="ACCEL_X_SENS" value="1" integer="16"/>
-#    <define name="ACCEL_Z_SENS" value="1" integer="16"/>
-#    <define name="ACCEL_Y_SENS" value="1" integer="16"/>
-#
-#    <define name="ACCEL_X_NEUTRAL" value="0"/>
-#    <define name="ACCEL_Z_NEUTRAL" value="0"/>
-#    <define name="ACCEL_Y_NEUTRAL" value="0"/>
-#
-#    <define name="MAG_X_SIGN" value="1"/>
-#    <define name="MAG_Y_SIGN" value="1"/>
-#    <define name="MAG_Z_SIGN" value="1"/>
-#
-#    <define name="MAG_X_NEUTRAL" value="-45"/>
-#    <define name="MAG_Y_NEUTRAL" value="334"/>
-#    <define name="MAG_Z_NEUTRAL" value="7"/>
-#
-#    <define name="MAG_X_SENS" value="4.47647816128" integer="16"/>
-#    <define name="MAG_Y_SENS" value="4.71085671542" integer="16"/>
-#    <define name="MAG_Z_SENS" value="4.41585354498" integer="16"/>
-#
-#    <define name="BODY_TO_IMU_PHI" value="0" unit="deg"/>
-#    <define name="BODY_TO_IMU_THETA" value="0" unit="deg"/>
-#    <define name="BODY_TO_IMU_PSI" value="0" unit="deg"/>
-#  </section>
-
-
-#########################################
-## IMU
-
-ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_IMU
-ap.CFLAGS += -DIMU_TYPE_H=\"modules/ins/imu_xsens.h\"
-ap.srcs   += $(SRC_MODULES)/ins/xsens.c
-ap.srcs   += $(SRC_MODULES)/ins/xsens_common.c
-ap.srcs   += $(SRC_MODULES)/ins/imu_xsens.c
-ap.srcs   += $(SRC_SUBSYSTEMS)/imu.c
-
-ifndef XSENS_UART_BAUD
-	XSENS_UART_BAUD = B115200
-endif
-
-ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART$(XSENS_UART_NR)
-ap.CFLAGS += -DXSENS_LINK=uart$(XSENS_UART_NR)
-ap.CFLAGS += -DUART$(XSENS_UART_NR)_BAUD=$(XSENS_UART_BAUD)
-ap.CFLAGS += -DXSENS_OUTPUT_MODE=0x1836
+$(error Error: The imu xsens subsystem has been converted to a module, replace <subsystem name="imu" type="xsens"/> by <module name="imu" type="xsens"/>)
diff --git a/conf/modules/imu_xsens.xml b/conf/modules/imu_xsens.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8e464f0d13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/modules/imu_xsens.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+<!DOCTYPE module SYSTEM "module.dtd">
+
+<module name="ins_xsens700" dir="ins">
+  <doc>
+    <description>
+      XSens IMU
+    </description>
+    <configure name="XSENS_PORT" value="uart1" description="The (uart) port the XSens is connected to"/>
+    <configure name="XSENS_BAUD" value="B115200" description="UART baud rate"/>
+  </doc>
+  <header>
+    <file name="imu_xsens.h"/>
+  </header>
+  <!-- imu init/periodic/event still called explicitly in main -->
+  <makefile target="ap">
+    <file name="xsens.c"/>
+    <file name="xsens_common.c"/>
+    <file name="imu_xsens.c"/>
+    <file name="imu.c" dir="subsystems"/>
+    <configure name="XSENS_PORT" default="uart1" case="upper|lower"/>
+    <configure name="XSENS_BAUD" default="B115200"/>
+    <define name="USE_$(XSENS_PORT_UPPER)" value="1"/>
+    <define name="XSENS_LINK" value="$(XSENS_PORT_LOWER)"/>
+    <define name="$(XSENS_PORT_UPPER)_BAUD" value="$(XSENS_BAUD)"/>
+    <!-- TODO: check output mode -->
+    <define name="XSENS_OUTPUT_MODE" value="0x1836"/>
+    <raw>
+      ap.CFLAGS += -DIMU_TYPE_H=\"modules/ins/imu_xsens.h\"
+    </raw>
+  </makefile>
+
+  <makefile target="sim">
+    <file name="ahrs.c" dir="subsystems"/>
+    <file name="ahrs_sim.c" dir="subsystems/ahrs"/>
+    <define name="USE_AHRS"/>
+    <raw>
+      sim.CFLAGS += -DAHRS_TYPE_H=\"subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_sim.h\"
+    </raw>
+  </makefile>
+
+  <makefile target="nps">
+    <define name="USE_IMU"/>
+    <file name="imu_nps.c" dir="subsystems/imu"/>
+    <raw>
+      nps.CFLAGS += -DIMU_TYPE_H=\"subsystems/imu/imu_nps.h\"
+    </raw>
+  </makefile>
+</module>
+