Gimbal system with imbalance compensation

1. A gimbal system, comprising:

a support portion;

a gimbal assembly pivotably connected to and supported by the support portion; and

a payload pivotably orientable with respect to the support portion by the gimbal assembly, to provide pan and tilt movement of the payload,

the payload including a selectively positionable component such that repositioning of the component has an effect on a center of gravity (CG) of the gimbal assembly, an imbalance compensator having a movable weight operatively connected to a driver configured to move the weight independent of the positionable component, and a controller in operative communication with the imbalance compensator;

wherein the controller is configured to counteract the effect of the positionable component on the CG by causing the imbalance compensator to reposition the movable weight; and

wherein the positionable component and the movable weight are internal to the payload.

2. The gimbal system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control selective positioning of the positionable component.

3. The gimbal system of claim 1 , wherein the positionable component includes an optical lens.

4. The gimbal system of claim 1 , wherein the driver of the imbalance compensator includes an electric motor.

5. The gimbal system of claim 1 wherein the imbalance compensator includes a lead screw operatively connecting the driver to the movable weight.

6. The gimbal system of claim 5 , wherein the imbalance compensator further includes a rotary encoder.

7. The gimbal system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a position of the movable weight corresponding to a signal received from the rotary encoder.

8. The gimbal system of claim 1 , wherein the positionable component is configured to move along a first linear axis, and the movable weight is configured to move along a second linear axis parallel to the first axis.

9. The gimbal system of claim 8 , wherein the first axis is collinear with the second axis.

10. A gimbal system comprising:

a support portion;

a gimbal assembly pivotably connected to and supported by the support portion;

a payload pivotably orientable with respect to the support portion by the gimbal assembly, to provide pan and tilt movement of the payload, the payload including an imbalance compensator having a weight selectively movable within the payload along a first axis;

a first component movable within the payload, independent of the imbalance compensator, along a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis; and

a controller configured to determine a compensating position of the weight of the imbalance compensator, such that the compensating position negates an imbalance in the gimbal assembly caused at least in part by a change in position of the first component.

11. The gimbal system of claim 10 , wherein the imbalance in the gimbal assembly is further affected by a second component movable within the payload along a third axis substantially parallel to the first axis.

12. The gimbal system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive input information indicating a current position of the first component.

13. The gimbal system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a moment on the gimbal system resulting from the current position of the first component.

14. The gimbal system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is in operative communication with the imbalance compensator, and the controller is configured to command the imbalance compensator to move the weight to the compensating position.