Abstract: A rotary encoder for capturing angular position of a target rotating over capacitive sensors. The rotary encoder includes a source plate. The rotary encoder includes a pair of capacitive sensors coupled to the source plate, and a target plate separated from the source plate by a gap. The target plate includes a spoke and a flange. The spoke is capacitively coupled to the pair of capacitive sensors and the flange is capacitively coupled to a ground pad. Each capacitive sensor of the pair of capacitive sensors is configured to detect a change in a capacitive value corresponding to an angular position of the spoke to the capacitive sensor. The target plate is mechanically coupled to a joystick. A movement of the joystick causes a rotation of the target plate about an axis to change the angular position of the spoke to the pair of capacitive sensors.