Editing Gimbal (section)

== Applications ==
[[File:Gimbal 3 axes rotation.gif|thumb|In a set of three gimbals mounted together, each offers a [[degrees of freedom (mechanics)|degree of freedom]]: roll, pitch and yaw]]

=== Inertial navigation ===

In inertial navigation, as applied to ships and submarines, a minimum of three gimbals are needed to allow an [[inertial navigation system]] (stable table) to remain fixed in inertial space, compensating for changes in the ship's yaw, pitch, and roll. In this application, the [[inertial measurement unit]] (IMU) is equipped with three [[orthogonal]]ly mounted gyros to sense rotation about all axes in three-dimensional space. The gyro outputs are kept to a null through drive motors on each gimbal axis, to maintain the orientation of the IMU. To accomplish this, the gyro error signals are passed through "[[Resolver (electrical)|resolver]]s" mounted on the three gimbals, roll, pitch and yaw. These resolvers perform an automatic matrix transformation according to each gimbal angle, so that the required torques are delivered to the appropriate gimbal axis. The yaw torques must be resolved by roll and pitch transformations. The gimbal angle is never measured.
Similar sensing platforms are used on aircraft.

In inertial navigation systems, [[gimbal lock]] may occur when vehicle rotation causes two of the three gimbal rings to align with their pivot axes in a single plane. When this occurs, it is no longer possible to maintain the sensing platform's orientation.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

=== Rocket engines ===
{{main|Gimbaled thrust}}

In [[spacecraft propulsion]], [[rocket engine]]s are generally mounted on a pair of gimbals to allow a single engine to [[thrust vectoring|vector thrust]] about both the pitch and yaw axes; or sometimes just one axis is provided per engine. To control roll, twin engines with differential [[Roll, pitch, and yaw|pitch]] or [[Roll, pitch, and yaw|yaw]] control signals are used to provide torque about the vehicle's [[Roll, pitch, and yaw|roll]] axis.

=== Photography and imaging ===
[[File:Gimbal 8jo WATANABEhachijo.jpg|thumb|Man using gimbal for smartphone]]
[[File:Baker-Nunn camera 001.JPG|thumb|A Baker-Nunn satellite-tracking camera on an altitude-altitude-azimuth mount]]

Gimbals are also used to mount everything from small [[camera lens]]es to large photographic telescopes.

In portable photography equipment, single-axis gimbal heads are used in order to allow a balanced movement for camera and lenses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gimbalreview.com/|title=3-Axis Handheld GoPro Gimbals|year=2017|website=gimbalreview.com|publisher=GimbalReview|access-date=7 May 2017}}</ref> This proves useful in [[wildlife photography]] as well as in any other case where very long and heavy [[telephoto lens]]es are adopted: a gimbal head rotates a lens around its [[center of gravity]], thus allowing for easy and smooth manipulation while tracking moving subjects.

Very large gimbal mounts in the form 2 or 3 axis [[Telescope mount#Alt-alt (altitude-altitude) mounts|altitude-altitude mount]]s<ref>{{cite journal|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=rmbyAAAAMAAJ&q=AFU-75 |journal=Soviet Journal of Optical Technology |volume= 43 |title= Article| publisher= Optical Society of America, American Institute of Physics |page= 119 |year= 1976 |number= 3}}</ref> are used in [[satellite photography]] for tracking purposes.

Gyrostabilized gimbals which house multiple sensors are also used for airborne surveillance applications including airborne law enforcement, pipe and power line inspection, [[Cartography|mapping]], and ISR ([[intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance]]).  Sensors include [[thermal imaging]], daylight, low light cameras as well as [[laser range finder]], and [[Fire-control radar|illuminators]].<ref>{{cite book|last= Dietsch |first= Roy |title= Airborne Gimbal Camera – Interface Guide |year= 2013 |url= http://ruggedvid.com/airborne-gimbal-camera-interface-guide/}}</ref>

Gimbal systems are also used in scientific optics equipment. For example, they are used to rotate a material sample along an axis to study their angular dependence of optical properties.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2018-12-01|title=3-D printable open source dual axis gimbal system for optoelectronic measurements|journal=Mechatronics|language=en|volume=56|pages=175–187|doi=10.1016/j.mechatronics.2018.07.005|issn=0957-4158|last1=Bihari|first1=Nupur|last2=Dash|first2=Smruti Prasad|last3=Dhankani|first3=Karankumar C.|last4=Pearce|first4=Joshua M.|s2cid=115286364|url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02111352/file/3-D_Printable_Open_Source_Dual_Axis_Gimb.pdf}}</ref>

=== Film and video ===

[[File:NEWTON-S2-gimbal-RED-camera-Teradek lens-motors-and-Angeniuex-lens.jpg|thumb|alt=NEWTON S2 gimbal for remote control and 3-axis stabilization of a RED camera, Teradek lens motors and Angeniuex lens. |NEWTON S2 gimbal for remote control and 3-axis stabilization of a [[Red Digital Cinema|RED]] camera, Teradek lens motors and [[Angénieux]] lens]]

Handheld 3-axis gimbals are used in [[Camera stabilizer|stabilization systems]] designed to give the camera operator the independence of handheld shooting without camera vibration or shake. There are two versions of such stabilization systems: mechanical and motorized.

Mechanical gimbals have the sled, which includes the top ''stage'' where the camera is attached, the ''post'' which in most models can be extended, with the monitor and batteries at the bottom to counterbalance the camera weight. This is how the Steadicam stays upright, by simply making the bottom slightly heavier than the top, pivoting at the gimbal. This leaves the [[center of gravity]] of the whole rig, however heavy it may be, exactly at the operator's fingertip, allowing deft and finite control of the whole system with the lightest of touches on the gimbal.

Powered by three [[Brushless DC electric motor|brushless motors]], motorized gimbals have the ability to keep the camera level on all axes as the camera operator moves the camera. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) responds to movement and utilizes its three separate motors to stabilize the camera. With the guidance of algorithms, the stabilizer is able to notice the difference between deliberate movement such as pans and tracking shots from unwanted shake. This allows the camera to seem as if it is floating through the air, an effect achieved by a [[Steadicam]] in the past. Gimbals can be mounted to cars and other vehicles such as [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|drones]], where vibrations or other unexpected movements would make tripods or other camera mounts unacceptable. An example which is popular in the live TV broadcast industry, is the [https://newtonnordic.com/newton-s2-stabilized-remote-head/ Newton 3-axis camera gimbal].

=== Marine chronometers ===

The rate of a mechanical [[marine chronometer]] is sensitive to its orientation.  Because of this, chronometers were normally mounted on gimbals, in order to isolate them from the rocking motions of a ship at sea.