A custom 6-DOF VTOL simulation environment built to model complex drone physics, payload deployment dynamics, and advanced flight control algorithms.
This project was developed as part of the MAE 157 D/E Capstone course at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
- Instructor: Professor Lopez
- Teaching Assistants: Helene Levy & Samuel Gessow
This project simulates a fully functional VTOL aircraft capable of trajectory generation, precise attitude/position control, and mid-flight payload deployment (including tether unspooling and freefall physics). The simulation computes complex multi-body dynamics, applies realistic boundary constraints, and logs high-fidelity telemetry for 3D visualization and performance analysis.
This project was collaboratively designed and developed by:
-
Michael Ferrell
- Overall Architecture of the Simulation
- Physics Engine & Dynamics Modeling
- Payload Modeling & Deployment Physics
-
Krithi Koodli
- Trajectory Generation Algorithms
- Flight Controller Design
- Integration of the Controller into the Simulation Environment
*Built with Python