This presentation demonstrates how engineering and science students can use the MATLAB technical computing environment to develop a deeper understanding of complex multi domain applications. A quadcopter UAV example is used as a case study to connect the fundamental mathematical concepts introduced in the earlier years of a science/engineering degree, to the numerical methods and control design concepts taught in the later years.

Using the quadcopter case study, we’ll demonstrate how the following deeper learning attributes are encouraged:

• How complex problems can be broken down into a series of smaller problems.
• How these smaller  problems can then be “glued” together to form a holistic view of the original problem.
• How curiosity is fostered by providing students with choices on how to solve a problem (eg: apps, code, block diagrams) – choices that encourage “creating” and “doing”
• How independent exploration of concepts is encouraged via access to numerical computing libraries.
• How positive emotions to learning are fostered by a HELP/DOC system that acts as an ever present companion during the learning and discovery process.

Some of the learning tasks considered in this presentation include:

• How the new MATLAB^® Live Editor can demystify rotation matrix sequences and enliven the teaching of concepts associated with moments of inertia
• How Simulink^® can model and solve the 6-DOF equations of motion of a rigid body (building, solving, implementing equations, and incorporating the rotation matrix concepts along the way)
• How to linearize a 6-DOF model and design controllers for altitude and attitude control
  

About the Presenter

Bradley Horton is a member of the Academic Technical Evangelist team at MathWorks, helping faculty members better utilize MATLAB and Simulink for education and research. Bradley has supported and consulted for clients on projects in process control engineering, power systems simulation, military operations research, and earthquake impact modelling. Before joining MathWorks, Brad spent 5 years as a systems engineer with the Defence Science & Technology Organisation (DSTO) working as an operations research analyst. Bradley holds a B.Eng. in Mechanical engineering and a B.Sc. in Applied mathematics.