2/13/2013 © Ether

Derivation of Differential Equations

of Motion for Frisbee

b
V
a
Vy
b
b Vx

D
q horizontal

mg
q launch angle, assumed constant throughout flight
a angle of attack

Figure 1
 Refer to Figure 1 on previous page
D = ½CDrAV2
CD = CDo +CDa(a-ao)2
D = ½(CDo +CDa(a-ao)2)rAV2

L = ½CLrAV2
CL = CLo +CLaa
L = ½(CLo +CLaa)rAV2

Fx = -Dcos(b) – Lsin(b)
Fx = -D(Vx/V) – L(Vy/V)
Fx = -(½(CDo +CDa(a-ao)2)rAV2)(Vx/V) – (½(CLo +CLaa)rAV2)(Vy/V)
Fx = -½rAV [(CDo +CDa(a-ao)2) Vx + (CLo +CLaa)Vy]

Fy = Lcos(b) – Dsin(b) - mg
Fy = L(Vx/V) – D(Vy/V) - mg
Fy = (½(CLo +CLaa)rAV2)(Vx/V) – (½(CDo +CDa(a-ao)2)rAV2)(Vy/V) - mg
Fy = ½rAV[(CLo +CLaa)Vx – (CDo +CDa(a-ao)2)Vy] - mg
(continued from previous page)

b = atan(Vy/Vx)
a = q-b = (q-atan(Vy/Vx))

Fx = -½rAV[(CDo+CDa(a-ao)2) Vx + (CLo+CLaa)Vy] (from previous page)

Fx = -½rAV[(CDo+CDa((q-atan(Vy/Vx))-ao)2) Vx + (CLo+Cla(q-atan(Vy/Vx)))Vy]

Fy = ½rAV[(CLo+CLaa)Vx – (CDo+CDa(a-ao)2)Vy] - mg (from previous page)

Fy = ½rAV[(CLo+CLa(q-atan(Vy/Vx)))Vx – (CDo+CDa((q-atan(Vy/Vx))-ao)2)Vy] - mg
from previous page:
Fx = -½rAV[(CDo+CDa((q-atan(Vy/Vx))-ao)2) Vx + (CLo+Cla(q-atan(Vy/Vx)))Vy]
Fy = ½rAV[(CLo+CLa(q-atan(Vy/Vx)))Vx – (CDo+CDa((q-atan(Vy/Vx))-ao)2)Vy] - mg

ax = -½rAV[(CDo+CDa((q-atan(Vy/Vx))-ao)2) Vx + (CLo+Cla(q-atan(Vy/Vx)))Vy]/m
ay = ½rAV[(CLo+CLa(q-atan(Vy/Vx)))Vx – (CDo+CDa((q-atan(Vy/Vx))-ao)2)Vy]/m - g

differential equations of motion:

.. . . . . . . . .
x = -½rA √(x2+y2) [(CDo+CDa((q-atan(y /x ))-ao)2) x + (CLo+Cla(q-atan( y /x))) y]/m

.. . . . . . . . .
y = ½rA√(x2+y2) [(CLo+CLa(q-atan( y /x))) x – (CDo+CDa((q-atan( y /x))-ao)2) y]/m - g
NUMERICAL SOLUTION

Given:

The X & Y acceleration functions (from previous page):

X acceleration function: ax(Vx,Vy)
Y acceleration function: ay(Vx,Vy)

And the initial conditions:

theta = launch angle = angle of frisbee wrt horizontal (assume it does not change)

V = launch speed

Vx = Vxo = V cos(theta) = initial x-velocity

Vx = Vy0 = V sin(theta) = initial y-velocity

X = Xo

Y = Yo

(continued on next page)

(continued from previous page)

Numerical simulation using Heun’s Method:

Ax = ax(Vx,Vy)
Ay = ay(Vx,Vy)

Vxn = Vx + Ax*dt
Vyn = Vy + Ay*dt

Axn = ax(Vxn,Vyn)
Ayn = ay(Vxn,Vyn)

Vxn = Vx + (Ax+Axn)/2*dt
Vyn = Vy + (Ay+Ayn)/2*dt

X = X + (Vx+Vxn)/2*dt
Y = Y + (Vy+Vyn)/2*dt

Vx = Vxn
Vy = Vyn
 References

Frisbee Flight Simulation and Throw Biomechanics

http://biosport.ucdavis.edu/research-projects/frisbee-flight-simulation-and-throw-biomechanics/HummelThesis.pdf

Heun’s Method
http://math.fullerton.edu/mathews/n2003/Heun%27sMethodMod.html