Video-Analysis of the flight of a model aircraft

Abstract

A video-analysis software has been employed in order to measure the steady-state values of the kinematics variables describing the longitudinal behaviour of a radio-controlled model aircraft during the take-off, climbing and gliding. These experimental results have been compared with the theoretical steady-state configurations predicted by the phugoid model for longitudinal flight. A comparison with parameters and performance of the full-size aircraft has also been outlined.