It is usually a component of an Inertial Measurement Unit or a stabilization system.
The rate indicating gyroscope consists of a damping fluid between the float assembly can and the outer casing.
This viscous fluid resists the motion of the gimbal precession.
This causes the gimbal to accelerate initially in the fluid, until the damping effect is equal to the precessing force.
This output would then be fed to a computer to calculate the total distance traveled (Inertial Navigation Platform).