Simulation 3D Rotorcraft

Implement 3D Rotorcraft

Since R2023a

• 

Libraries:
Aerospace Blockset / Animation / Simulation 3D

Description

Note

Simulating models with the Simulation 3D Rotorcraft block requires Simulink^® 3D Animation™. If you had an Aerospace Blockset™ license prior to R2024a, you might be eligible to continue using Simulation 3D Rotorcraft to simulate models in the 3D environment. For more information, see Opt-In Offer for Aerospace Blockset Unreal Engine Visualization Users.

The Simulation 3D Rotorcraft block implements a rotorcraft in a 3D visualization environment using translation and rotation to place the rotorcraft.

To use this block, your model must contain a Simulation 3D Scene Configuration block. If you set the Sample time parameter of this block to -1, the block uses the sample time specified in the Simulation 3D Scene Configuration block.

The block input uses the rotorcraft north-east-down (NED) right-handed (RH) Cartesian coordinate system.

• X-axis — Along rotorcraft longitudinal axis, points forward

• Y-axis — Along rotorcraft lateral axis, points to the right

• Z-axis — Points downward

For more information, see About Aerospace Coordinate Systems.

Tip

Verify that the Simulation 3D Rotorcraft block executes before the Simulation 3D Scene Configuration block. That way, Simulation 3D Rotorcraft prepares the signal data before the Unreal Engine^® 3D visualization environment receives the data. To check the block execution order, right-click the blocks and select Properties. On the General tab, confirm these Priority settings:

• Simulation 3D Scene Configuration — 0

• Simulation 3D Rotorcraft — -1

For more information about execution order, see Control and Display Execution Order.

Skeletons, Bones, and Meshes

Unreal^® uses a skeleton, bones, and mesh to define a 3D model. A skeleton is comprised of a set of bones. A mesh is the outer covering of the skeleton. Rotorcraft parts are sections of the mesh, such as rotor blades or wheels, which are linked to the bones. For more information, see https://docs.unrealengine.com/4.27/AnimatingObjects/SkeletalMeshAnimation/Skeleton/.

For more information on how the Simulation 3D Rotorcraft block translation input arrays connect to rotorcraft types, see Algorithms.

Ports

Input

Translation — Rotorcraft translation

6-by-3 array | 19-by-3 array | 11-by-3 array

Rotorcraft translation, specified as:

• 6-by-3 array — Rotorcraft Type is Light helicopter.

• 19-by-3 array — Rotorcraft Type is Helicopter.

• 11-by-3 array — Rotorcraft Type is Multirotor.

The signal contains translation [X, Y, Z], in meters, with one row of the array for each bone of the rotorcraft.

The translation applies to these bones of the Light helicopter type.

Bone	Index
BODY	1
ENGINE	2
ROTOR1	3
ROTOR2	4
SENSOR1	5
SENSOR2	6

The translation applies to these bones of the Helicopter type.

Bone	Index
BODY	1
ENGINE1	2
ENGINE2	3
ROTOR1	4
ROTOR2	5
NOSE_GEAR	6
NOSE_WHEEL	7
NOSE_GEAR_DOOR1	8
NOSE_GEAR_DOOR2	9
LEFT_GEAR	10
LEFT_WHEEL	11
LEFT_GEAR_DOOR1	12
LEFT_GEAR_DOOR2	13
RIGHT_GEAR	14
RIGHT_WHEEL	15
RIGHT_GEAR_DOOR1	16
RIGHT_GEAR_DOOR2	17
SENSOR1	18
SENSOR2	19

The translation applies to these bones of the Multirotor type.

Bone	Index
BODY	1
ROTOR1	2
ROTOR2	3
ROTOR3	4
ROTOR4	5
ROTOR5	6
ROTOR6	7
ROTOR7	8
ROTOR8	9
SENSOR1	10
SENSOR2	11

Data Types: single | double

Rotation — Rotorcraft and wheel rotation

6-by-3 array | 19-by-3 array | 11-by-3 array

Rotorcraft rotation, specified as:

• 6-by-3 array — Rotorcraft Type is Light helicopter.

• 19-by-3 array — Rotorcraft Type is Helicopter.

• 11-by-3 array — Rotorcraft Type is Multirotor.

The rotation applies to the same bones as listed for the Translation port.

The signal contains the rotation [roll, pitch, yaw], in radians, with one row of the array for each bone of the rotorcraft.

Data Types: single | double

LightStates — Rotorcraft light control

1-by-7 vector of double values

Rotorcraft light control, specified as a 1-by-7 vector of double values. Each element of the vector turns on (1) or off (0) a specific rotorcraft light group. The vector has this order:

• LANDING_LIGHTS

• NOSE_LIGHTS

• ANTICOLLISION_BEACONS

• N/A (Ignored)

• STROBE_LIGHTS

• NAVIGATION_LIGHTS

• POSITION_LIGHTS

Dependencies

To enable this port, set the Light Configuration parameter to Configurable lights.

Data Types: single | double

Output

Altitude — Rotorcraft attitude

1-by-5 vector

Rotorcraft attitude, returned as a 1-by-5 vector. The altitudes are, in order:

Light Helicopter	Helicopter	Multirotor
rotorcraft_body	rotorcraft_body	rotorcraft_body
rotorcraft_contact_location1	rotorcraft_front_tire	rotorcraft_contact_location1
rotorcraft_contact_location2	rotorcraft_left_tire	rotorcraft_contact_location2
rotorcraft_contact_location3	rotorcraft_right_tire	rotorcraft_contact_location3
rotorcraft_contact_location4	N/A (0)	rotorcraft_contact_location4

Dependencies

To enable this port, select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Data Types: double

WoW — Weight on wheels

true | false

Rotorcraft weight on wheels, WoW, logical switch, returned as true if either of the contact locations or main gear tires (left or right) are on the ground. Otherwise, the output is false.

Dependencies

To enable this port, select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Data Types: Boolean

Parameters

Sample time — Sample time

-1 (default) | real scalar

Sample time, T_s. The graphics frame rate is the inverse of the sample time.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: SampleTime

Type: character vector

Values: real scalar

Default: '-1'

Rotorcraft

Type — Rotorcraft type

Light helicopter (default) | Helicopter | Multirotor

Rotorcraft type, specified as Light helicopter, Helicopter, or Multirotor.

Dependencies

To set this parameter, set the Initial translation and Initial rotation parameters to the matching array size. Failure to appropriately set these array sizes causes an error.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: Mesh

Type: character vector

Values: 'Light helicopter' | 'Helicopter' | 'Multiroter'

Default: 'Light helicopter'

Path to light helicopter mesh — Path to light helicopter mesh

'/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/LightHelicopter/Mesh/SK_LightHelicopter.SK_LightHelicopter' (default) | character vector

Path to light helicopter mesh, specified as a character vector.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Type to Light helicopter.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: MeshPathLight

Type: character vector

Values: '/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/LightHelicopter/Mesh/SK_LightHelicopter.SK_LightHelicopter'

Default: '/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/LightHelicopter/Mesh/SK_LightHelicopter.SK_LightHelicopter'

Path to helicopter mesh — Path to helicopter mesh

'/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/Helicopter/Mesh/SK_Helicopter.SK_Helicopter' (default) | character vector

Path to helicopter mesh, specified as a character vector.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Type to Helicopter.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: MeshPath

Type: character vector

Values: '/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/Helicopter/Mesh/SK_Helicopter.SK_Helicopter'

Default: '/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/Helicopter/Mesh/SK_Helicopter.SK_Helicopter'

Path to multirotor mesh — Path to multirotor mesh

'/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/Multirotor/Mesh/SK_Quadcopter.SK_Quadcopter' (default) | '/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/Multirotor/Mesh/SK_QuadcopterMini.SK_QuadcopterMini' | character vector

Path to multirotor mesh, specified as a character vector.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Type to Multirotor.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: MeshPathMulti

Type: character vector

Values: '/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/Multirotor/Mesh/SK_Quadcopter.SK_Quadcopter' | '/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/Multirotor/Mesh/SK_QuadcopterMini.SK_QuadcopterMini'

Default: '/MathWorksAerospaceContent/Vehicles/Rotorcraft/Multirotor/Mesh/SK_Quadcopter.SK_Quadcopter'

Color — Rotorcraft color

Red (default) | Orange | Yellow | Green | Cyan | Blue | Black | White | Silver | Metal

Rotorcraft color, specified as Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, Black, White, Silver, or Metal.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: AircraftColor

Type: character vector

Values: 'Red' | 'Orange' | 'Yellow' | 'Green' | 'Cyan' | 'Blue' | 'Black' | 'White' | 'Silver' | 'Metal'

Default: 'Red'

Name — Rotorcraft name

SimulinkVehicle1 (default) | character vector

Rotorcraft name, specified as a character vector. By default, when you use the block in your model, the block sets the Name parameter to SimulinkVehicleX. The value of X depends on the number of other simulation 3D blocks that you have in your model.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: ActorName

Type: character vector

Values: scalar

Default: 'SimulinkVehicle1'

Initial translation (m) — Initial translation of rotorcraft

zeros(6,3) (default) | 19-by-3 array | 11-by-3 array

Initial translation of rotorcraft, specified as an 6-by-3, 19-by-3, or 11-by-3 array.

Dependencies

This parameter must match the rotorcraft type you set in Type. Failure to appropriately set these array sizes causes an error.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: Translation

Type: character vector

Values: 6-by-3 array | 19-by-3 array | 11-by-3 array

Default: 'zeros(6,3)'

Data Types: single | double

Initial rotation (rad) — Rotorcraft rotation

zeros(6,3) (default) | 19-by-3 array | 11-by-3 array

Initial rotation of rotorcraft, specified as an 6-by-3, 19-by-3, or 11-by-3 array.

Dependencies

This parameter must match the rotorcraft type you set in Type. Failure to appropriately set these array sizes causes an error.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: Rotation

Type: character vector

Values: 6-by-3 array | 19-by-3 array | 11-by-3 array

Default: 'zeros(6,3)'

Data Types: single | double

Altitude Sensor

Enable altitude and WoW sensors — Altitude and WoW sensors

on (default) | off

To enable output ports for altitude and WoW sensors, select this check box. Otherwise, clear this check box. For more information on the altitude and WoW sensors, see Altitude Sensors and WoW Sensors.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: IsGHSensorEnabled

Type: character vector

Values: 'on' | 'off'

Default: 'on'

Show sensor rays in viewer — Option to show sensor rays

off (default) | on

To show sensor rays in the viewer, select this check box. Otherwise, clear this check box.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: AreGHRaysVisible

Type: character vector

Values: 'on' | 'off'

Default: 'off'

Interpret vector outputs as 1-D — Control reshaping on sensor output ports

off (default) | on

Control if reshaping occurs on the Altitude WoW sensor output ports:

• Select this check box to enable reshaping.

• Clear this check box to disable reshaping.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: IsOutputReshapeEnabled

Type: character vector

Values: 'on' | 'off'

Default: 'off'

Length of rays (m) — Length of rays

1524 (default) | real scalar

Length of rays, specified as a real scalar, in meters. The length of the rays limits the altitude detection. For example, if the vertical distance to the ground beneath the rotorcraft origin is greater than the length of the rays plus the rotorcraft body Z offset, the altitude sensor returns -1 for the first value.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: GHRayLength

Type: character vector

Values: real scalar

Default: '1524'

Rotorcraft body Z offset (m) — Rotorcraft body Z offset

1.169 (default) | real scalar

Rotorcraft body Z offset, specified as a real scalar, in meters.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: GHBodyOffset

Type: character vector

Values: real scalar

Default: '1.169'

Ground-contact location 1 (m) — First ground contact location

[1.47 -1.04 1.169] (default) | 3-element vector

First ground contact location, specified as a 3-element vector, in meters.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Light helicopter or Multirotor.

• Select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: GHContactLocation1

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[1.47 -1.04 1.169]'

Ground-contact location 2 (m) — Second ground contact location

[-1.24 -1.04 1.169] (default) | 3-element vector

Second ground contact location, specified as a 3-element vector, in meters.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Light helicopter or Multirotor.

• Select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: GHContactLocation2

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[-1.24 -1.04 1.169]'

Ground-contact location 3 (m) — Third ground contact location

[-1.24 1.04 1.169] | 3-element vector

Third ground contact location, specified as a 3-element vector, in meters.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Light helicopter or Multirotor.

• Select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: GHContactLocation3

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[-1.24 1.04 1.169]'

Ground-contact location 4 (m) — Fourth ground contact location

[1.47 1.04 1.169] | 3-element vector

Fourth ground contact location, specified as a 3-element vector, in meters.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Light helicopter or Multirotor.

• Select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: GHContactLocation4

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[1.47 1.04 1.169]'

Front tire radius (m) — Front gear tire radius

0.196 (default) | real scalar

Front gear tire radius, specified as a real scalar, in meters. The front gear altitude ray originates at the front gear axle center plus the front gear tire radius Z offset.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Helicopter.

• Select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: GHFrontTireRadius

Type: character vector

Values: real scalar

Default: '0.196'

Left tire radius (m) — Left gear tire radius

0.203 (default) | real scalar

Left gear tire radius, specified as a real scalar, in meters.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Helicopter.

• Select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: GHLeftTireRadius

Type: character vector

Values: real scalar

Default: '0.203'

Right tire radius (m) — Right gear tire radius

0.203 (default) | real scalar

Right gear tire radius, specified as a real scalar, in meters.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Helicopter.

• Select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: GHRightTireRadius

Type: character vector

Values: real scalar

Default: '0.203'

WoW sensor tolerance (m) — Wow sensor tolerance

0.05 (default) | real scalar

Wow sensor tolerance, specified as a real scalar.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select the Enable altitude and Wow sensors check box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: WoWSensorTolerance

Type: character vector

Values: real scalar

Default: '0.05'

Light Configuration

Light configuration — Light configurations options

Automatic lights (default) | Configurable lights | Lights off

Light configuration options, specified as one of these values:

• Automatic lights — Use default rotorcraft lighting configuration that provides realistic pattern cycling.

• Configurable lights — Configure rotorcraft lighting parameters.

• Lights off — Turn off all rotorcraft lights.

Dependencies

• Setting this parameter to Automatic lights disables the configurability of all other Light Configuration parameters. The block uses the default parameter values for rotorcraft lighting values.

• Setting this parameter to Configurable lights enables the configurability of the Light Configuration parameters according to the rotorcraft type.

• Setting Type to a given rotorcraft type and Light Configuration to Configurable lights enables the configurability of the lighting parameters in use for each rotorcraft.

• Setting this parameter to Lights off disables the configurability of all other Light Configuration parameters. The block turns off all rotorcraft lighting.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: LightsConfig

Type: character vector

Values: 'Automatic lights' | 'Configurable lights' | 'Lights off'

Default: 'Automatic lights'

Landing light intensity (cd) — Landing lights intensity

300000 (default) | positive scalar

Landing light intensity, specified as a positive scalar, in candela.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: LandingLightIntensity

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '300000'

Landing light cone half angle (deg) — Landing lights cone half angle

15 (default) | positive scalar

Landing lights cone half angle, specified as a positive scalar, in degrees.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: LandingLightConeAngle

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '15'

Landing light color [r g b] — Landing light color

[1 1 1] (default) | 3-element vector

Landing light color, specified as a 3-element vector [red green blue].

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Multirotor.

• Set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: LandingLightColor

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[1 1 1]'

Landing light location — Landing light location

[0 0 0] (default) | 3-element vector

Landing light location with respect to the associated bone of the skeletal mesh, specified as a 3-element vector.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: HelicopterLeftLandingLightLocation

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[0 0 0]'

Landing light orientation (deg) — Landing light orientation

[0 0 0] (default) | 3-element vector

Landing light orientation with respect to the associated bone of the skeletal mesh, specified as a 3-element vector.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: HelicopterLeftLandingLightOrientation

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[0 0 0]'

Nose light intensity (cd) — Nose lights intensity

150000 (default) | positive scalar

Nose lights intensity, specified as a positive scalar, in candela.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: NoseLightIntensity

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '150000'

Nose light cone half angle (deg) — Nose light cone half angle

36 (default) | positive scalar

Nose light cone half angle, specified as a positive scalar, in degrees.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: NoseLightConeAngle

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '36'

Nose light location — Nose light location

[0 0 0] (default) | 3-element vector

Nose light location with respect to the associated bone of the skeletal mesh, specified as a 3-element vector.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: HelicopterNoseLightLocation

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[0 0 0]'

Nose light orientation (deg) — Nose light orientation

[0 0 0] (default) | 3-element vector

Nose light orientation with respect to the associated bone of the skeletal mesh, specified as a 3-element vector.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: HelicopterNoseLightOrientation

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[0 0 0]'

Navigation lights intensity — Navigation lights intensity

500 (default) | positive scalar

Navigation lights intensity, specified as a positive scalar.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: NavLightIntensity

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '500'

Position light intensity — Position light intensity

500 (default) | positive scalar

Position light intensity, specified as a positive scalar.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: PositionLightIntensity

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '500'

Strobe light intensity — Strobe light intensity

5000 (default) | positive scalar

Strobe light intensity, specified as a positive scalar.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: StrobeLightIntensity

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '5000'

Strobe color [r g b] — Strobe color

[1 1 1] (default) | 3-element vector

Strobe light color, specified as a 3-element vector [red green blue].

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Multirotor.

• Set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: StrobeLightColor

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[1 1 1]'

Strobe period (s) — Strobe period

1.5 (default) | positive scalar

Strobe period, specified as a positive scalar.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: StrobePeriod

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '1.5'

Strobe pulse width (% of period) — Strobe pulse width

6 (default) | positive scalar

Strobe pulse width, specified as a positive scalar.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: StrobePulseWidth

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '6'

Beacon light intensity — Beacon light intensity

4000 (default) | positive scalar

Beacon light intensity, specified as a positive scalar.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BeaconLightIntensity

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '4000'

Beacon color [r g b] — Beacon color

[1 0 0] (default) | 3-element vector

Beacon color, specified as a 3-element vector [red green blue].

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• Set Type to Multirotor.

• Set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BeaconLightColor

Type: character vector

Values: 3-element vector

Default: '[1 0 0]'

Beacon period (s) — Beacon period

1.5 (default) | positive scalar

Beacon period, specified as a positive scalar, in seconds.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BeaconPeriod

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '1.5'

Beacon pulse width (% of period) — Beacon pulse width

10 (default) | positive scalar

Beacon pulse width, specified as a positive scalar.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Light configuration to Configurable lights.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BeaconPulseWidth

Type: character vector

Values: positive scalar

Default: '10'

Algorithms

All Rotorcraft Type Bones

For all rotorcraft types, the Simulation 3D Rotorcraft block enables six degrees of freedom (6DOF) for all rotorcraft bones. The default poses for each bone in the skeletal mesh affects how the mesh deforms when you manipulate each degree of freedom.

Altitude Sensors

Altitude sensors return the vertical distance to the ground below a vehicle origin, mimicking a radar altimeter. They also return below ground contact points, used by WoW Sensors. The Simulation 3D Rotorcraft block determines the vertical distance by calculating the starting and ending locations of the landing gear ray, depending on whether the aircraft is wheeled or nonwheeled.

Wheeled Aircraft

• Starting location

  The block calculates the starting location of the landing gear ray using the equation:

  starting_location = representative_bone - Z offset specified in block

  Representative Bone	Z Offset Parameter
  NOSE_WHEEL	Front tire radius
  LEFT_WHEEL	Left tire radius
  RIGHT_WHEEL	Right tire radius

• Ending location

  The block calculates the ending location using the equation:

  ending_location = starting_location - Length of rays or the point of first contact with a surface in the Unreal scene.

Nonwheeled Aircraft

• Starting location of ground contacts

  [X,Y,Z] offsets from the rotorcraft BODY bone location, in the NED frame. Specify these offsets with the parameters:

  • Ground contact location 1

  • Ground contact location 2

  • Ground contact location 3

  • Ground contact location 4

• Ending location

  The block calculates the ending location using the equation:

  ending_location = starting_location - Length of rays or the point of first contact with a surface in the Unreal scene.

How Altitude Sensors Work

The block determines the altitude with this workflow:

1. The block gives the ray starting point, direction, and maximum length to the altitude sensor, which exists in an Unreal Engine scene.

2. The Unreal Engine projects the ray from the starting point in the specified direction and determines if an object is within Length of rays.

3. Unreal Engine returns to the block information such as:

   • If an object is detected or not

   • If an object is detected, the location of the object

4. Using this information, the block calculate the altitude sensor values.

WoW Sensors

Aircraft use WoW switches to enable and disable systems. Weight-on-Wheels (WoW) sensors return a logical value of 1 (true) if one or more of the landing gear wheels touches a surface, 0 (false) otherwise. For example, allow landing gear retraction only when the WoW sensor returns 0 (false).

Wheeled Aircraft

To determine if any main landing gear tires touches the ground or any object, the WoW sensor uses the third and fourth rays of the altitude sensor. The left and right tire radius offsets must equal the actual radii of the tire meshes.

• If the sensed ground location is within ±WoW sensor tolerance of a ground contact point, the block returns a WoW sensor output of 1 (logical true).

• Otherwise, the block returns 0 (logical false).

Nonwheeled Aircraft

To determine if any one of the four ground contact points (Ground contact location 1, Ground contact location 2, Ground contact location 3, Ground contact location 4) are touching the ground, the WoW sensor uses the four ground contact location rays.

• If the sensed ground location is within ±WoW sensor tolerance of the tire surface, the block returns a WoW sensor output of 1 (logical true).

• Otherwise, the block returns 0 (logical false).

Version History

Introduced in R2023a

R2024a: Requires Simulink 3D Animation

Simulating models with the Simulation 3D Rotorcraft block requires Simulink 3D Animation. If you had an Aerospace Blockset license prior to R2024a, you might be eligible to continue using Simulation 3D Rotorcraft to simulate models in the 3D environment. For more information, see Opt-In Offer for Aerospace Blockset Unreal Engine Visualization Users.

R2024a: Simulation 3D Rotorcraft Block Supports Single-Precision Inputs

The Simulation 3D Rotorcraft block now supports single- and double-precision inputs for the Translation and Rotation input ports. Prior to R2024a, this block supported only double-precision inputs for these ports.