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Procedia
Engineering
ProcediaProcedia
Engineering 00 (2011)
Engineering 000–000
15 (2011) 747 – 751
www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia

Advanced in Control Engineeringand Information Science

Research on modeling technology for a high altitude airship

Fang Xi-long* ,Liu Xin-xue, Wang Fang, Liu Kai-feng
Xi’an high-tech research institute, Xi’an Shanxi 710025,China

Abstract

According of the force and motion characteristics of the high altitude airship, a six-degree-of-freedom nonlinear
dynamic model is presented. On the basis of the model, the digital simulation is carried out. The motion parameters
of the airship are analyzed on the little perturbation. Finally, the results show that the airship longitudinal and lateral
motions are unstable and the coupling of the longitudinal and lateral motion is weak in several seconds.

© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of [CEIS 2011]
Keyword: Airship; aerodynamics; modeling; simulation

1. Introduction

A High altitude airship provides a unique and promising platform for surveillance and communication.
Comparing to traditional aircrafts, the airship has peculiar characteristics, example for long duration
fighting and the demand of much less power. Therefore, the airship is considered as a new means for
conducting multi-roles in civil as well as military applications [1].
The first step in the airship design process is to size the hull. The design rule is that the area/volume
ratio is as possible as small. In general, the hull shapes of airships have lenticular hull, lift-body, multi-
lobe form and winged-hull. In order to adapt to the requirements of the airship roving and station keeping,
the linear ellipsoid body is a good choice. The volume of the airship is determined by load, configuration
mass and flying height. When the volume of the airship is given, the optimal shape requires minimal
aerodynamic resistance. In preliminary design phase, the length/depth ratio is an important geometric
parameter [2].

2. Aerodynamic Model

We will consist of an axisymmetric, teardrop-shaped hull with a cross empennage and tail fins for
stability. In modelling process, we assume as following:
ⅰ.The airship is rigid body;
ⅱ.Ignoring buoyancy effect;
ⅲ.Considering the earth as WGS-84 normal ellipsoid;

* Fang Xi-long. Tel.: 029-83487506; fax: +0-000-000-0000 .

E-mail address: fangxilong520@sina.com.

1877-7058 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.08.139
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Procedia Engineering – 751 000–000
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ⅳ.Ignoring the influence of the earth spin velocity;

ⅴ.Using by American standards of 1976 atmospheric environment atmosphere.

2.1. Centroid dynamic equation

When a airship flies in the air, it will be subjected to gravity, external force (including buoyant force,
pushing force, aerodynamic force and controlling force) and added mass inertia force. According to the
stress of the airship, we can write the centroid dynamic equation in inertial coordinate system for a given
airship shape and size[3]:
dVG
m = F + G + FA (1)
dt
Where VG is the centroid velocity of the airship (relative to the speed of the earth), G is the gravity
force of the airship. Let Vo be the body-centred velocity of the airship, and according to composition of
velocity law, VG may be given as
VG = Vo + ω × rG (2)
Where rG is the radius vector of the body-centred to the centroid. ω is the rotational velocity of the
airship. Using related knowledge of theoretical mechanics, the expression (2) may be changed as
dVG dVG
e = b + ω × VG (3)
dt dt
We combine Eq.(2) and Eq.(3) to build the centroid dynamic equation in body coordinate as following
& +ω
m[V & × rG + ω × Vo + ω × (ω × rG )] = F + mG + FA (4)
o
Noting the all physical quantity in Eq.(4) is transferred to body coordinate.

2.2. Attitude dynamics equation

We first write attitude dynamics equation of airship generally

I gω
& + ω × (I g ω) =M Fg + M Ag (5)
Where ω is the rotational velocity of the airship about the earth, I g is the rotary inertia about the
centre of airship mass, M Fg is the sum of external force moment about the centre of gravity. M Ag is
added mass inertia moment about the origin of the body frame. Using d’Alembert principle , we write the
new moment balance equation
I gω& + ω × (I g ω) =M F +M A + M G + M ′I (6)
Where M F is the sum of external moment, M A is the added mass inertia moment, M G is
gravitational moment about the centre of the airship body, M ′I is Newton’s inertia moment about the
centre of the airship body.
M G = m(rG × G ) (7)
M ′I = −m[rG × V
& ] = −m{r × [V
G G
& +ω
o
& × rG + ω × Vo + ω × (ω × rG )]} (8)
Substitute (7) in (8), we could obtain
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Engineering 751(2011) 000–000 749
3

I gω & ) = [I g + m(rG2 E − rG rGT )]ω

& − mrG × (rG × ω & = I oω
& (9)

rG × [ω × (ω × rG )] = −[ω ×]rG rGT ω = [ω ×](rG2 E − rG rGT )ω (10)

ω × (I g ω) + mrG × [ω × (ω × rG )] = ω × (I o ω) (11)
Where Eq.(10) is deduced by using the expression ω × ω ≡ 0 , I o is the rotary inertia about the centre of
airship body. Then, simplifying Eq.(9) and Eq.(11), we can obtain attitude dynamic equation about centre
of airship body as following
I oω
& + ω × (I o ω ) =M F + M A + M G + M I (12)
Where
& + ω × V )]
M I = −m[rG × (V (13)
o o

2.3. Computing the Added Mass and Inertia Matrices

When a airship moves in the atmosphere, it is acted by not only aerodynamic force which flow on the
airship surface but added mass inertia force due to airship displaces fluid. For high speed flying vehicles
which’s density are very higher than atmosphere, the added mass inertia force may be neglected. But for
the airship which flies by buoyancy, we must consider the change which usually is denoted by added
mass. Let H A is added Mass Matrices, the momentum and momentum moment which are generated by
added mass decouple to give [4]:
⎡Q f ⎤ ⎡Voa ⎤
⎢K ⎥ = H A ⎢ ⎥ （14）
⎣ f⎦ ⎣ω⎦
Where Voa = Vo − V f is the airship speed which is relative to wind. When wind speed is zero,
Voa = Vo . According to moment and momentum theorem, we can obtain the equation:
⎧ dQ f
⎪⎪− FA = + ω×Q f
dt
⎨ (15)
⎪− M = dK f + ω × K + V × Q
⎩⎪
A f oa f
dt
When the equation (15) is written as the form of Matrices, we obtain the expression of added forces
and moment in body coordinate as following
⎡ FA ⎤ ⎡V& ⎤ ⎡ [ω×] 0 ⎤ ⎡Voa ⎤
⎢M ⎥ = − H A ⎢ & ⎥ − ⎢[V ×] [ω×]⎥ H A ⎢ ω ⎥
oa
(16)
⎣ A⎦ ⎣ ω ⎦ ⎣ oa ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
The added mass and Inertia matrices are functions of the vehicle shape. For the double-ellipsoid model
used in this analysis, they are expressed as follows:
⎡[m ′] 0 ⎤
HA = ⎢ ⎥ (17)
⎣ 0 [I ′o ]⎦
Substitute (17) in (16), we could obtain
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⎡ FA ⎤ ⎡[m ′]V & ⎤ ⎡

oa
[ω×][m ′]Voa ⎤
= − ⎢ ⎥−⎢ (18)
⎢M ⎥
⎣ A⎦ ⎣ [I ′o ]ω& ⎦ ⎣[Voa ×][m ′]Voa + [ω×][I ′o ]ω ⎥⎦
Due to the item [ Voa ×][m′]Voa is only related to airship speed and aerodynamic formulas include the
item, the aerodynamic equation ought to delete the item. Considering the previous factor, the equation
may be overwritten as the form as follows
⎡ FA ⎤ ⎡[m ′]V & ⎤ ⎡[ω×][m ′]Vo − F1 ⎤
o
⎢M ⎥ = − ⎢ ⎥−⎢ ⎥ (19)
⎣ A⎦ ⎣ o ⎦ ⎣ [ω×][I ′o ]ω ⎦
[ I ′ ]ω&
Where F1 is the added mass Inertia
F1 = [m′]V
& + ω × ([m′]V )
f f (20)
& is change rate of wind speed on body coordinate.
When wind speed is zero, F1 = 0 . V f

2.4. Aerodynamic Equation

Combining (4), (12) and (19) to the form of matrix, we find complete aerodynamic equation:
⎡ mE + [m′] −m[rG ×]⎤ ⎡ V & ⎤ ⎡ F2 ⎤ ⎡ Fs ⎤
⎥− =
o
⎢ m[r ×] ⎥ ⎢ (21)
⎣ G & ⎦ ⎢⎣M1 + M 2 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣M s ⎦⎥
I o + [I′o ] ⎦ ⎣ ω
Where F2 = −{ω × [(mE + [m ′])Vo ] + mω × (ω × rG )}
M1 = −mrG × (ω × Vo ) ; M 2 = −[ω×](I o + I ′o )ω
⎡ Fs ⎤ ⎡F + mG + F1 ⎤
⎢M ⎥ ≡ ⎢ M + M ⎥
⎣ s⎦ ⎣ F G ⎦
If assuming that airship centres of mass and buoyancy are superposition and centre of mass is on
longitudinal symmetry plane of airship body, the equation expands to the form of scalarization.

3. Simulation and Analysis

A simulation of the complete non-linear model is conducted without rudder controlling. The airship is
initialized at the design altitude and the desired velocity is 7 m/s with 5 angle-of-attack and sideslip. The
time-response is shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

7.5 1 1

7
0.5 0.5

6.5
W
U

0 0
6

-0.5 -0.5
5.5

5 -1 -1
0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60
t t t

1 0.5 1

0.5 0.5
p

0 0 0
r

-0.5 -0.5

-1 -0.5 -1
0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60
t t t

Fig.1 Response curve of the airship to longitudinal initial disturbance

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Fang Xi-long,Liu Xi-long et al.Fang,Liu
/ Procedia Engineering
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Procedia 747 – 00
Engineering 751(2011) 000–000 751
5

8 2 0.5

6 1.5

W
U

V
4 1 0

2 0.5

0 0 -0.5
0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60
t t t

0.1 0.1 0

p 0.05 0.05 -0.05

0 0 -0.1

r
-0.05 -0.05 -0.15

-0.1 -0.1 -0.2

0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60
t t t

Fig.2 Response curve of the airship to lateral initial disturbance

Where U ,V ,W and p, q, r are the components of body-centred velocity and rotational velocity about
the airship body coordinate. It is interesting to examine the airship stability on the situation of little
perturbation. When the airship is affected by initial attack angle α = 5 , the longitudinal motion
o

parameter U , W and q all have a divergent trend and the lateral motions parameter V , q and r are
unchanged. Where U is diminish slowly; W firstly return to zero rapidly, and then vibrate around zero.
When the airship is affected by initial attack angle β o = 5 , V firstly diminish rapidly, then increase
o

quickly thanks to the influence of yaw rate, finally constringe to 1 m / s after a concussion cycle. The
rolling angular velocity p vibrate and divergent around zero; the yaw rate r constringe to
0.05 rad / s after concussion. The longitudinal motion parameters are nearly unchanged except the
item U . U vary slowly in first seconds, and then diminish rapidly affected by the yaw rate r and the
drift speed v. in the both cases, we find that airship longitudinal and lateral motions are unstable and the
longitudinal and lateral motions coupling is weak in several seconds. For airship which’s density and
inertia are both large, the unstable design is necessary because it is in favor of turning and hovering
controlling of airship.

4. Conclusion

This paper has provided useful methods for the modelling of a typical airship configuration, and
discussed the unique issues associated with the operation of airships at high altitudes. The dynamics of
the airship in flight was then expressed using the six degree of freedom equations of a rigid body, and
including the effects of added mass and inertia. The digital simulation is carried out and the airship
motion parameter change is analyzed on the little perturbation. Finally, the paper pointes out that the
airship longitudinal and lateral motions are unstable and the longitudinal and lateral motions coupling is
weak in several seconds.

References

[1] Gomes S. B. V. and Ramos J.J.G, Airship Dynamic Modeling for Autonomous Operation. In Proceeding of the 1998 IEEE
intentional Conference on Robotics& Automation[C], 3462-3467
[2].Khoury. G. A., Gillett J. D. Airship Technology[M].Cambridge University Press, 1999
[3] ANTHONY COLOZZ. Initial feasibility assessment of a high altitude long endurance airship[R]//Washington: NASA, 2003.
[4] INNA SHARF. Dynamics modeling and simulation of flexible airships[J].AIAA journal, 2009.