What other advantage do ring laser gyros have besides not wearing out?

Ring laser gyros do not experience precession, which is a significant advantage in navigation and attitude determination applications. Precession refers to the phenomenon where the axis of a spinning body (like a gyroscope) changes its orientation due to external influences, such as gravity or motion. Traditional mechanical gyros can experience precession, leading to errors in orientation data and requiring periodic recalibration.

In contrast, ring laser gyros utilize the principles of light and offer measurements based on the interference of laser beams traveling in opposite directions around a closed loop. This design effectively eliminates the complexities associated with precession, allowing them to provide more stable and accurate readings without the loss of precision associated with traditional mechanical gyros. This inherent property of not precessing makes ring laser gyros highly advantageous for applications requiring precise navigation and orientation, particularly in environments where reliability and accuracy are paramount.