Abstract: Aimed at the difficulty about measurement of the high bandwidth and small magnitude micro-angular vibration in the aircraft，ATA corporation in USA designed the type of angular rate sensing device based on the magnetohydrodynamic effect（MHD）.In comparison to other devices，such as fibre-optic gyroscope，the sensors have properties of high-precision，high-bandwidth and simple in construction，so they can be used in many areas，such as aeronautics and space，ground based weapons，and seismic monitoring.It reviews the background of MHD angular rate sensing technology.Through the systematic depiction about some devices including high-precision MHD angular rate sensor，low-frequency MHD angular rate sensor and so on，which concerns the fundamental principles，structural constitutions and key parameters，it sorts out the routine of the development of MHD angular rate sensing technology.It also trially studies the fundamental technical elements which may hinder the advancement of this technology.