Inductive angular displacement sensors have good environmental adaptability, high measurement accuracy and stability. They are widely used in high-end equipment, electric vehicles, robots, aircraft, weapons and other fields. This article reviews three types of inductive angular displacement sensors, including resolver, inductosyn and the magnetic field type time-grating displacement sensor which is independently developed by Chinese scholars. Their measurement principles and key technologies are reviewed in detail, and their advantages and limitations are also analyzed. According to the development of inductive angular displacement sensors in recent years, their applications in the fields of machinery, automobile, industrial robot, aviation, aerospace and national defense are discussed in detail. Finally, it is concluded that the inductive angular displacement sensor technology should be developed in the direction of high precision, high reliability, embedded measurement, composite function measurement and intelligence.