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I saw that documentary as well

What I looked up:

Mechanical aviation gyroscopes typically have accuracy limits characterized by drift rates on the order of about 1 degree per hour or worse, depending on quality and design.

Ring laser gyroscopes used in modern aviation can achieve drift rates as low as 0.0035 degrees per hour.

modern high-performance aviation laser gyroscope would typically cost somewhere between about $30,000 to $150,000 or more per unit,

So the dude in the doc probably wouldn’t have a new fancy laser one 😃

Tuvok 3mo ago 💬 1

didnt see what you saw, i guess

but the gyro keeps the same vector

on a spinning ball earth the gyro would have to rotate

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Discussion

LSULaw 3mo ago

Most common gyroscopes lack the sensitivity to measure Earth's slow rotation. The Earth rotates at only 15 degrees per hour, which is too slow for inexpensive mechanical gyroscopes to detect due to

static friction in the bearings that masks the subtle rotation, imperfect balancing that creates drift and noise, internal mechanical limitations that prevent precise measurements

This doesn't mean the Earth isn't rotating - it means the instrument isn't sensitive enough to measure it.

Many aviation and navigation gyroscopes are deliberately adjusted to account for Earth's rotation. Technicians pre-set the drift to perfectly counter Earth's rotation for the pilot's specific latitude and calibrate the instrument so it appears stationary relative to the ground.

This pre-compensation can create the false impression that the gyroscope isn't detecting Earth's rotation, when it's actually been adjusted to cancel it out.