Fundamentals of Rigid Body Dynamics

Abstract

In most cases of practical interest, aircraft can be modeled as six degrees-of-freedom rigid bodies subject to aerodynamic forces and moments, the gravitational force, and the forces and moments exerted by the engines and the control surfaces. In this chapter, we discuss in kinematic and dynamic equations that capture the motion of rigid bodies. Special emphasis is put on the notion of angular velocity, the Tait–Bryan angles and their properties, quaternions and Euler parameters, and Newton’s and Euler’s laws. The framework presented in this chapter is quite unique and is worth being examined in detail.