uWSC Aircraft Simulator: A Gazebo-based model for uncrewed weight-shift control aircraft flight simulation

Weight-shift control (WSC) microlights are a class of aircraft that maneuver by manipulating a mass attached to deforming flexible wings, which are favoured by many recreational pilots due to their simple mechanical structure, superior low-speed maneuverability, positive aerodynamic stability, and capability to operate on rugged terrains with minimal infrastructure requirements for take-off and landing. However, the dependency on human-powered control restricts their effective payload and mission scope. Here, we present an uncrewed weight-shift control (uWSC) aircraft simulator model developed within the open-source robotics simulator Gazebo. The aim of the model is to spur further study of weight-shift aircraft as a new class of uncrewed aerial systems. The model’s physical properties are based upon an uncrewed electrically powered hang-glider prototype. The longitudinal and lateral positive static aerodynamic stability of the flexible hang-glider wing is approximated by a rigid wing consisting of multiple joined sections. The performance of the uWSC aircraft model is benchmarked against data captured from real weight-shift aircraft flight tests. Results indicate that the simulator model provides a suitable approximation of real weight-shift aircraft flight. The simulator’s capabilities in emulating weight-shift control mechanisms in flight is indicative of its utility in bridging higher-level flight controller design with lower-level weight-shift control dynamics, opening new directions towards the autonomous and semi-autonomous operations of uWSC by allowing quick testing for design and prototype innovation and improvement.