What is Gyro Stabilization for PTZ Cameras?

Active gyro stabilization is when information from a gyroscope is used to mechanically stabilize a PTZ camera system. This is done by using the pan/tilt head to counteract movements detected by the gyroscope, reducing the perceived shake and vibration to keep the image stabilized. Common applications are UAVs, vehicle-mounted systems, vessel and ship-mounted systems, and MAST and tower-mounted systems.

The performance of the stabilization is dependent on the accuracy and speed of the gyroscope and the latency in the system. Long-range surveillance cameras require military-grade gyroscopes and extremely accurate pan/tilt drivers in order to provide sufficient stabilization, unlike wide-angle small cameras like GoPros which only require consumer grade equipment. This is because an image with a small field-of-view is affected much more by camera movement than a wide field-of-view image. The resolution, speed and precision of the pan/tilt driver is critical as that is what is working to compensate for the motion. Not all gyro stabilization systems are created equal, and it is important to look at the specs of the pan tilt before purchasing a gyro stabilized system.

For more information on why stabilization is critical for long-range surveillance cameras, as well as information on our gyro stabilization systems, please see our Gyro Stabilization page.