Implementing Gyroscopic Stabilization : A study on performance and power consumptioncorrelated to flywheel rotational speed

Abstract: In this study the stability as well as the power consumptionof an implemented gyroscopic stabilizer, when varying therotational speed of the flywheel, was investigated. A fullyfunctional demonstrator was constructed utilizing two DCmotors for driving the flywheel and rotating the gimbal,respectively. To control the stabilization an Arduino Unowith a PID-controller was used, measurements were madewith a second Arduino Uno. Three tests were conducted:no disturbances, a short impulse, and a constant force appliedto the demonstrator. The results showed that theperformance in all three tests increased with a higher rotationalspeed of the flywheel, and that the biggest source ofpower consumption was the flywheel DC motor.