MECH-4672

Course Description

Flight dynamics modelling for fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft. Low-Reynolds number considerations applicable to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Control theory and state-space control schemes. State-space controller design for UAVs. Lab(s) involving control of virtual and/or physical UAV models.

Class and lab information

• Lecture: 3 hours/week

• Laboratory or tutorial: 2 hours/week

• Additional, approximate study hours: 7 hours/week, as student requires

• Estimated division of Learning hours

  • hands-on labs and activities: N/A

  • group work: N/A

  • lecture: 20%

  • individual work (including homework, project, and tutorials): 55%

  • class discussion (during lecture time): 25%

• Credit weight: 3.0

• Course format: face-to-face content summaries, examples, and questions with online and textbook-based readings, videos, tutorials, etc.

• Pre-requisites

  • MECH-3670, MECH-4671, and Semester 7 or higher standing

Resources

• Course Blackboard site: available via student Blackboard login

• Course Whiteboard site

• Interactive in-class activities via tools discussed at the beginning of the course.

  • There should be no costs to students for using these interactive tools.

• Primary text

  • Handbook of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, by Kimon P. Valavanis, and Vachtsevanos, George J (referred to in this course as “UAV Handbook”)

• Additional resources

  • Flight Vehicle Aerodynamics, by Mark Drela (MIT Press). Available to order as a physical or e-book from https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/flight-vehicle-aerodynamics. This book is optional.

  • Small Unmanned Aircraft Theory and Practice, by Randal W. Beard & Timothy W. McLain, Princeton University Press, 2012.

• Web resources

  • MIT Open CourseWare, specifically:

    • Feedback Control Systems, 16.30

    • Aircraft Stability and Control, 16.333

  • NASA Principles of Flight: Axes/Control Surfaces