An optical flow sensor is presented that directly measures the translational component of the optical flow experienced by the sensor while it is on a moving platform. The translational optical flow is measured by using a gyro to measure the platform's angular rates and then incorporating these angular rates in the optical flow computations in a manner that bypasses lags in the optical flow sensor measurement. In one embodiment, individual "velocity report" optical flow measurements have their rotational component removed before these velocity reports are utilized in the remainder of the optical flow algorithm. In another embodiment, a movable window and shifting techniques are used to form a windowed image that has no rotational optical flow components. In another embodiment, an optical flow sensor is mounted on a gimbal and held to point in one direction even as the platform on which the optical flow sensor is mounted moves.