Gimbals for drone cameras

A gimbal is a motor-stabilised mount that keeps the camera steady regardless of the drone's movements. Bare gimbals carry cameras from other manufacturers; some ship with a built-in camera.

Resolution (MP)

Field shared with cameras; only filled when the gimbal ships with its own camera. For bare gimbals, payload and interface matter.

Weight (g)

Mass of the part in grams as stated by the manufacturer. Check whether cables, mounts or accessories are included, as manufacturers report this differently.

Gimbal axes

Number of stabilised axes. Three axes compensate pitch, roll and yaw; two axes are enough for simple tasks but show yaw motion in the image.

IP rating

Protection against dust and water according to the IP code. The first digit refers to solid objects, the second to water; an X means that part was not tested.

Maximum payload (g)

Highest weight of camera and lens that the gimbal can stabilise. Camera and lens together should be well below it so the motors do not run at their limit.

Lens

Field shared with cameras; only filled when the gimbal ships with its own camera. For bare gimbals, payload and interface matter.

Interface and mounting

Mechanical and electrical connection, such as DJI SKYPORT, quick-release plate, Ethernet, HDMI or MAVLink for ArduPilot and PX4. Vendor-specific interfaces limit the choice of drone.

Image sensor

Only given for gimbals with a built-in camera; bare gimbals carry a third-party camera.

Maximum video

Field shared with cameras; only filled when the gimbal ships with its own camera. For bare gimbals, payload and interface matter.

Thermal resolution

Field shared with cameras; only filled when the gimbal ships with its own camera. For bare gimbals, payload and interface matter.

Zoom

Field shared with cameras; only filled when the gimbal ships with its own camera. For bare gimbals, payload and interface matter.

The maximum payload is decisive: camera and lens should be well below it. Three axes compensate all rotations; two axes are enough for simple tasks. The interfaces (e.g. CAN, UART, S-Bus, quick-release plate, SKYPORT) determine how the gimbal is controlled and mounted. For heavy cinema cameras there are large gimbals with high payload, for small drones lightweight versions. The gimbal's weight and power draw affect flight time.

Camera fields (sensor, resolution, zoom) are only filled when the gimbal ships with its own camera.

Why does a drone camera need a gimbal?

Without a gimbal, the drone's tilt and vibration would show directly in the image.

Are two axes enough?

For simple tasks yes, but the drone's yaw movements then remain visible in the image.

How much payload margin is needed?

Camera and lens should be well below the maximum payload so the motors do not run constantly at their limit.