Abstract: A two degree of freedom gyroscope having a drive motor (20), with a permanent magnet rotor (22), which includes an optical sensor (11) for providing an X-axis signal and a Y-axis signal which are indicative of the displacement of the actual rotor (22) spin axis from the null spin axis (28), a torquer coil (26) looped around the permanent magnet rotor (22) and disposed in a plane orthogonal to the null spin axis, and torquer drive elements (52, 54, 56) responsive to the X-axis and Y-axis signals induced in the sensor when the actual rotor (22) spin axis is displaced from the null spin axis (28) for providing current to said torquer coil (26) to urge the axes to coincide.