gimbal

A gimbal is a pivoted support that allows an attached object to rotate freely about one or more axes while the support itself moves. The classical gimbal consists of nested, concentric rings mounted at right angles, each bearing a rotation about a single axis. When the rings are arranged in sequence, an object on the innermost ring maintains its orientation relative to the inertial frame even as the outer structure changes position.

Three-axis gimbals provide control over yaw, pitch, and roll, enabling full stabilization and orientation of delicate payloads such as cameras. In practice, gimbals are used to keep a device level or oriented toward a desired direction despite motion of the host platform.

Historically, gimbals kept navigational instruments like compasses level on moving ships. They were later applied to surveying and other instruments, and eventually to photography and cinematography. In the modern era, motorized gimbals with electronic sensors and sophisticated control systems have become common for handheld devices, cameras, drones, and robotics.

Operation can be passive, relying on mechanical bearings and inertia, or active, employing motors (often brushless DC), sensors such as gyroscopes and accelerometers, and a feedback control loop to counteract motion. Most contemporary camera and drone gimbals are three-axis systems, though two-axis units remain popular for compact setups.

Applications span filmmaking, videography, handheld stabilizers, smartphones, aerial and ground-based drones, and stabilization of scientific or industrial instruments. The concept of gimbal lock—loss of a rotational degree of freedom when axes align—is a consideration in design, with three-axis configurations designed to mitigate it.