Are there any practical uses for gyroscopes other than ballistic missile guidance?

Answer 1

Don't subs' inertial navigation systems use gyros? At least as a supplement to the accelerometers I'd think....

Sattelites can use them for attitude control (as a supplement to taking star-shots).

Answer 2

I'm pretty sure they use gyroscopes in many large ships to keep them from flipping over when they are at sea. There has also been talk of putting them in a number of the new skyscrapers that are being built now, though I believe they came up with alternatives, this would have been used to counteract the effect wind has on large buildings so high up.

Answer 3

Yes. Aircraft use what are called "gyrocompasses" to keep track of their pointing direction. Gyros (as they are usually called by navigators) are not affected by magnetic variation (which is due to the offset of true north versus magnetic north). So, once the gyro is set to true north it is always referenced to that point. Magnetic compasses always point to magnetic north, so changes in the position of the airplane relative to magnetic north will affect the apparent direction and position of the airplane.

Gyroscopes are also used to orient the large space stations, such as the ISS and Skylab (of the 1970's). Large flywheels oriented in different directions with regard to the ISS are set spinning at several thousand RPM's. When the pointing direction of the ISS needs to be changed one of the gyroscopes is tilted, which causes a force that turns the ISS in one direction or another. Two of them are needed, and they have four to work with.

The gyroscopic effect of the rotating wheels also allows bicycles to be usable machines. The lack of significant gyroscopic effect at very slow speeds is the reason it is difficult to balance a bicycle at those slow speeds. Perhaps this is the most practical use of gyroscopes through human history.

Finally, gyroscopes are neat and practical toys.

Answer 4

My airplane panel has gyroscopes. I use them to fly the plane in the clouds when I can't see outside.

Answer 5

Why can't anybody give you a straight answer. Anything that you want to keep straight, you can use these. Pool tables on cruise ship use these. Airplanes use these. They spin them when the plane is on the ground, and if you turn the plane, the gyro stays level with the ground. Is that so hard.

Answer 6

Gyroscopes are used to entertain kids.
Like spinning tops.

Answer 7

sure
- some older satellites use them determine their position changes
- it's a common backup for vehicle positioning systems (especially in the military) where precise location information cannot be compromised (like in the field artillery)

Answer 8

Many ships and satellites use them for inertial guidance systems.

Answer 9

should such sensitive matters be discussed in these columns...?
gyroscope technology has no match with the ballistic missiles technology...