Main Content

Customize Fixed-Wing Aircraft with Additional Aircraft States

Open Live Script

This example shows how to construct and define a custom state for a fixed-wing aircraft.

This example describes:

  • Defining custom states and when they might be used.

  • Creating a basic custom state.

  • Creating an advanced custom state.

  • Using a custom state in the analysis of a fixed-wing aircraft.

What Are Custom States?

By default, the fixed-wing state object has a fixed set of state values. These include angle of attack, airspeed, altitude, and others.

These states are used within the fixed-wing object to dimensionalize non-dimensional coefficients or provide data to lookup table breakpoints.

However, there are cases where this default set of states does not capture all of the desired states of an aircraft. This is when custom states are used.

By defining a custom state, it is possible to create new state values which can be used within any component of a fixed-wing aircraft.

Defining a Custom State

To create custom states with the Aero.FixedWing.State class:

  1. Define a new class. This class must inherit from the Aero.FixedWing.State.

  2. Define custom states by adding new dependent properties to the class.

  3. Define the get.State method in the custom state class.

Below is a simple example state where the custom state class, MyState, is defined with a custom state value, MyValue.

The get methods of dependent properties can access any other property on the state. In this case, MyValue uses ground forward speed, U.

classdef MyState < Aero.FixedWing.State
    
    properties (Dependent)
        MyValue
    end
    
    methods
        function value = get.MyValue(obj)
            value = obj.U * 10;
        end
    end
end

A more advanced example of the custom state is the De Havilland Beaver aircraft model [1] which uses a number of custom states to dimensionalize its coefficients. This custom state can be seen as "astDehavillandBeaverState" below.

classdef astDehavillandBeaverState < Aero.FixedWing.State
    
    properties (Dependent)
        Alpha2
        Alpha3
        Beta2
        Beta3
        
        b2V
        cV
        qcV
        pb2V
        rb2V
        betab2V
        
        AileronAlpha
        FlapAlpha
        ElevatorBeta2
        RudderAlpha
    end
    
    methods
        function value = get.Alpha2(obj)
            value = obj.Alpha ^ 2;
        end
        function value = get.Alpha3(obj)
            value = obj.Alpha ^ 3;
        end
        function value = get.Beta2(obj)
            value = obj.Beta ^ 2;
        end
        function value = get.Beta3(obj)
            value = obj.Beta ^ 3;
        end
        
        function value = get.b2V(obj)
           value = 14.6300 / (2*obj.Airspeed);
        end
        function value = get.cV(obj)
           value = 1.5875 / (obj.Airspeed);
        end
        
        function value = get.qcV(obj)
           value = obj.Q * obj.cV;
        end
        function value = get.pb2V(obj)
           value = obj.P * obj.b2V;
        end
        function value = get.rb2V(obj)
           value = obj.R * obj.b2V;
        end
        function value = get.betab2V(obj)
           value = obj.Beta * obj.b2V;
        end
        
        function value = get.AileronAlpha(obj)
            value = obj.getState("Aileron") * obj.Alpha;
        end
        function value = get.FlapAlpha(obj)
            value = obj.getState("Flap") * obj.Alpha;
        end
        function value = get.ElevatorBeta2(obj)
            value = obj.getState("Elevator") * obj.Beta2;
        end
        function value = get.RudderAlpha(obj)
            value = obj.getState("Rudder") * obj.Alpha;
        end
    end
end

This custom state not only directly uses the pre-defined state properties from the fixed-wing state, but also uses the getState method to extract the control surface deflection angles. Any combination of states or methods can be used in the get methods for custom states.

Using a Custom State

With the custom state defined, use the custom state in the analysis methods.

[beaver, cruise] = astDehavillandBeaver()
beaver = 
  FixedWing with properties:

        ReferenceArea: 23.2300
        ReferenceSpan: 14.6300
      ReferenceLength: 1.5875
         Coefficients: [1x1 Aero.FixedWing.Coefficient]
     DegreesOfFreedom: "6DOF"
             Surfaces: [1x3 Aero.FixedWing.Surface]
              Thrusts: [1x1 Aero.FixedWing.Thrust]
          AspectRatio: 9.2138
           Properties: [1x1 Aero.Aircraft.Properties]
           UnitSystem: "Metric"
    TemperatureSystem: "Kelvin"
          AngleSystem: "Radians"


cruise = 
  astDehavillandBeaverState with properties:

                   Alpha2: 0.0170
                   Alpha3: 0.0022
                    Beta2: 0.0036
                    Beta3: 2.1974e-04
                      b2V: 0.1625
                       cV: 0.0353
                      qcV: 0
                     pb2V: 0
                     rb2V: 0
             AileronAlpha: 0.0012
                FlapAlpha: 0
            ElevatorBeta2: -1.5476e-04
              RudderAlpha: -0.0060
                    Alpha: 0.1303
                     Beta: 0.0603
                 AlphaDot: 0
                  BetaDot: 0
                     Mass: 2.2882e+03
                  Inertia: [3x3 table]
          CenterOfGravity: [0 0 0]
         CenterOfPressure: [0 0 0]
              AltitudeMSL: 2202
             GroundHeight: 0
                       XN: 0
                       XE: 0
                       XD: -2202
                        U: 44.5400
                        V: 2.7140
                        W: 5.8360
                      Phi: 0
                    Theta: 0.1309
                      Psi: 0
                        P: 0
                        Q: 0
                        R: 0
                   Weight: 2.2448e+04
              AltitudeAGL: 2202
                 Airspeed: 45.0026
              GroundSpeed: 45.0026
               MachNumber: 0.1357
             BodyVelocity: [44.5400 2.7140 5.8360]
           GroundVelocity: [44.5400 2.7140 5.8360]
                       Ur: 44.5400
                       Vr: 2.7140
                       Wr: 5.8360
          FlightPathAngle: 0.1303
              CourseAngle: 0.0609
     InertialToBodyMatrix: [3x3 double]
     BodyToInertialMatrix: [3x3 double]
         BodyToWindMatrix: [3x3 double]
         WindToBodyMatrix: [3x3 double]
    BodyToStabilityMatrix: [3x3 double]
    StabilityToBodyMatrix: [3x3 double]
          DynamicPressure: 998.6513
              Environment: [1x1 Aero.Aircraft.Environment]
            ControlStates: [1x5 Aero.Aircraft.ControlState]
         OutOfRangeAction: "Limit"
         DiagnosticAction: "Warning"
               Properties: [1x1 Aero.Aircraft.Properties]
               UnitSystem: "Metric"
        TemperatureSystem: "Kelvin"
              AngleSystem: "Radians"


cruise.Alpha2
ans = 
0.0170

[F, M] = forcesAndMoments(beaver, cruise)
F = 3×1
103 ×

    0.4037
   -1.3285
    4.7465


M = 3×1
103 ×

   -1.5125
    2.3497
    0.3744


dydt = nonlinearDynamics(beaver, cruise)
dydt = 12×1

   44.9207
    2.7140
   -0.0276
    0.1764
   -0.5806
    2.0743
   -0.2619
    0.3391
    0.0297
         0
      ⋮


[stability, derivatives] = staticStability(beaver, cruise)
stability=6×8 table
             U           V           W         Alpha        Beta         P           Q           R    
          ________    ________    ________    ________    ________    ________    ________    ________

    FX    "Stable"    ""          ""          ""          ""          ""          ""          ""      
    FY    ""          "Stable"    ""          ""          ""          ""          ""          ""      
    FZ    ""          ""          "Stable"    ""          ""          ""          ""          ""      
    L     ""          ""          ""          ""          "Stable"    "Stable"    ""          ""      
    M     "Stable"    ""          ""          "Stable"    ""          ""          "Stable"    ""      
    N     ""          ""          ""          ""          "Stable"    ""          ""          "Stable"


derivatives=6×8 table
             U          V          W          Alpha        Beta         P          Q          R   
          _______    _______    _______    ___________    _______    _______    _______    _______

    FX    -32.531     2.7704     601.22          26968     124.91          0    -552.22          0
    FY    -33.152    -398.64    -16.894        -558.01     -17973    -467.59          0     1382.4
    FZ    -410.16    -4.8834    -2867.8    -1.2531e+05    -220.18          0    -2445.2          0
    L     -37.919    -469.28    -10.703        -254.35     -21158     -27832          0     9350.9
    M      222.86     74.529     -930.3         -42740     3360.4          0     -20214    -1866.5
    N      12.771     62.732     1.6733       -0.35231     2828.4    -8744.1     1909.6    -6134.6

States can also be created using the fixedWingStateCustom function.

This function is identical to the fixedWingState function except for the addition of a string input which specified the state object to create.

state = fixedWingStateCustom("astDehavillandBeaverState",beaver)
state = 
  astDehavillandBeaverState with properties:

                   Alpha2: 0
                   Alpha3: 0
                    Beta2: 0
                    Beta3: 0
                      b2V: 0.1463
                       cV: 0.0318
                      qcV: 0
                     pb2V: 0
                     rb2V: 0
             AileronAlpha: 0
                FlapAlpha: 0
            ElevatorBeta2: 0
              RudderAlpha: 0
                    Alpha: 0
                     Beta: 0
                 AlphaDot: 0
                  BetaDot: 0
                     Mass: 0
                  Inertia: [3x3 table]
          CenterOfGravity: [0 0 0]
         CenterOfPressure: [0 0 0]
              AltitudeMSL: 0
             GroundHeight: 0
                       XN: 0
                       XE: 0
                       XD: 0
                        U: 50
                        V: 0
                        W: 0
                      Phi: 0
                    Theta: 0
                      Psi: 0
                        P: 0
                        Q: 0
                        R: 0
                   Weight: 0
              AltitudeAGL: 0
                 Airspeed: 50
              GroundSpeed: 50
               MachNumber: 0.1469
             BodyVelocity: [50 0 0]
           GroundVelocity: [50 0 0]
                       Ur: 50
                       Vr: 0
                       Wr: 0
          FlightPathAngle: 0
              CourseAngle: 0
     InertialToBodyMatrix: [3x3 double]
     BodyToInertialMatrix: [3x3 double]
         BodyToWindMatrix: [3x3 double]
         WindToBodyMatrix: [3x3 double]
    BodyToStabilityMatrix: [3x3 double]
    StabilityToBodyMatrix: [3x3 double]
          DynamicPressure: 1.5312e+03
              Environment: [1x1 Aero.Aircraft.Environment]
            ControlStates: [1x5 Aero.Aircraft.ControlState]
         OutOfRangeAction: "Limit"
         DiagnosticAction: "Warning"
               Properties: [1x1 Aero.Aircraft.Properties]
               UnitSystem: "Metric"
        TemperatureSystem: "Kelvin"
              AngleSystem: "Radians"


state2 = fixedWingStateCustom("astDehavillandBeaverState",beaver,aircraftEnvironment(beaver,"COESA",1000))
state2 = 
  astDehavillandBeaverState with properties:

                   Alpha2: 0
                   Alpha3: 0
                    Beta2: 0
                    Beta3: 0
                      b2V: 0.1463
                       cV: 0.0318
                      qcV: 0
                     pb2V: 0
                     rb2V: 0
             AileronAlpha: 0
                FlapAlpha: 0
            ElevatorBeta2: 0
              RudderAlpha: 0
                    Alpha: 0
                     Beta: 0
                 AlphaDot: 0
                  BetaDot: 0
                     Mass: 0
                  Inertia: [3x3 table]
          CenterOfGravity: [0 0 0]
         CenterOfPressure: [0 0 0]
              AltitudeMSL: 0
             GroundHeight: 0
                       XN: 0
                       XE: 0
                       XD: 0
                        U: 50
                        V: 0
                        W: 0
                      Phi: 0
                    Theta: 0
                      Psi: 0
                        P: 0
                        Q: 0
                        R: 0
                   Weight: 0
              AltitudeAGL: 0
                 Airspeed: 50
              GroundSpeed: 50
               MachNumber: 0.1486
             BodyVelocity: [50 0 0]
           GroundVelocity: [50 0 0]
                       Ur: 50
                       Vr: 0
                       Wr: 0
          FlightPathAngle: 0
              CourseAngle: 0
     InertialToBodyMatrix: [3x3 double]
     BodyToInertialMatrix: [3x3 double]
         BodyToWindMatrix: [3x3 double]
         WindToBodyMatrix: [3x3 double]
    BodyToStabilityMatrix: [3x3 double]
    StabilityToBodyMatrix: [3x3 double]
          DynamicPressure: 1.3896e+03
              Environment: [1x1 Aero.Aircraft.Environment]
            ControlStates: [1x5 Aero.Aircraft.ControlState]
         OutOfRangeAction: "Limit"
         DiagnosticAction: "Warning"
               Properties: [1x1 Aero.Aircraft.Properties]
               UnitSystem: "Metric"
        TemperatureSystem: "Kelvin"
              AngleSystem: "Radians"

References

  1. Rauw, M.O.: "A Simulink Environment for Flight Dynamics and Control analysis - Application to the DHC-2 'Beaver' ". Part I: "Implementation of a model library in Simulink". Part II: "Nonlinear analysis of the 'Beaver' autopilot". MSc-thesis, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. Delft, The Netherlands, 1993.

See Also

Classes

Methods