This paper presents a digital readout system to detect small capacitive signals of a micro- machined angular rate sensor. The flexible parameter adjustment ability and the computation speed of the digital signal processor were used to develop a new calibration procedure to determine the scale factor of a gyroscope without a turntable. The force of gravity was used to deflect the movable masses in the sensor, which resulted in a corresponding angular rate input. The gyroscope scale factor was then measured with- out a turntable. Test results show a maximum deviation of about 1.2% with respect to the scale factor de- termined on a turntable with the accuracy independent of the manufacturing process and property variations. The calibration method in combination with the improved readout electronics can minimize the calibration procedure and, thus, reduce the manufacturing costs. The paper presents a digital readout system to detect small capacitive signals of a micro-machined angular rate sensor. The flexible parameter adjustment ability and the computation speed of the digital signal processor were used to develop a new calibration procedure to determine the scale factor of a gyroscope without a turntable. The force of gravity was used to deflect the movable masses in the sensor, which resulted in a corresponding angular rate input. The gyroscope scale factor was then measured with- out a turntable. Test results show a maximum deviation of about 1.2% with respect to the scale factor de- termined on a turntable with the accuracy independent of the manufacturing process and property variations. The calibration method in combination with the improved readout electronics can minimize the calibration procedure and, thus reduce the manufacturing costs.