Visualization Tools

You can visualize stages of your Aerospace Blockset™ application using flight simulator, flight instrument, aircraft scenario, and MATLAB^® graphics-based tools.

Flight Simulation Interface Blocks

Use flight simulator interface blocks to visualize flight paths using FlightGear and input FlightGear data to models.

To use FlightGear to visualize flight paths, first install FlightGear software. For more information, see Flight Simulator Interface. The Flight Simulator Interfaces sublibrary contains:

FlightGear Preconfigured 6DoF Animation — Connect model to FlightGear flight simulator.
Generate Run Script — Generate FlightGear run script on current platform.
Pack net_fdm Packet for FlightGear — Generate net_fdm packet for FlightGear.
Receive net_ctrl Packet from FlightGear — Receive net_ctrl packet from FlightGear.
Send net_fdm Packet to FlightGear — Transmit net_fdm packet to destination IP address and port for FlightGear session.
Unpack net_ctrl Packet from FlightGear — Unpack net_ctrl variable packet received from FlightGear.

Here is an example of the model in HL-20 Project with Optional FlightGear Interface.

HL-20 model.

Flight Instrument Blocks

Use blocks representing standard cockpit instruments to display flight status information from the model. Each block graphically represents a cockpit instrument.

Airspeed Indicator — Display measurements for aircraft airspeed
Altimeter — Display measurements for aircraft altitude
Artificial Horizon — Represent aircraft attitude relative to horizon
Climb Rate Indicator — Display measurements for aircraft climb rate
Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) Indicator — Display measurements for engine exhaust gas temperature (EGT)
Heading Indicator — Display measurements for aircraft heading
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) Indicator — Display measurements for engine revolutions per minute (RPM) in percentage of RPM
Turn Coordinator — Display measurements on turn coordinator and inclinometer

After you add a flight instruments block to a model, a table in the block dialog is automatically filled with observable signals from the model. To display one of the observable signals on an instrument gauge, select the signal.

Here is an example of the model with the flight instruments panel in HL-20 with Flight Instrumentation Blocks.

HL-20 model with flight instruments panel.

Simulation 3D Blocks

Use the Simulation 3D blocks to view 3D aircraft dynamics and airport operations in the Unreal^® environment. Use supporting functions to customize your projects.

Simulating models in the 3D visualization environment requires Simulink^® 3D Animation™.

Simulation 3D Actor Transform Get — Get actor translation, rotation, scale.
Simulation 3D Actor Transform Set — Set actor translation, rotation, scale.
Simulation 3D Aircraft — Implement aircraft in 3D environment.
Simulation 3D Camera Get — Camera image.
Simulation 3D Scene Configuration — Scene configuration for 3D simulation environment.
Simulation 3D Message Get — Retrieve data from Unreal Engine visualization environment.
Simulation 3D Message Set — Send data to Unreal Engine visualization environment.

Here is the animation from a simulation in Using Unreal Engine Visualization for Airplane Flight.

Sky Hogg example animation using Unreal Engine.

To customize your projects, Aerospace Blockset also contains functions that let you work with blue print actors and send and receive messages between Unreal Engine^® and Simulink.

While the blocks and functions are available with Aerospace Blockset, to customize scenes in your installation of the Unreal Engine and simulate within these scenes in Simulink, you must install and configure the Aerospace Blockset Interface for Unreal Engine Projects support package. This support package contains customizable scenes and the Griffiss airport.

MATLAB Graphics-Based Animation

Use MATLAB graphics-based animation blocks to visualize flight paths using MATLAB graphics software.

3DoF Animation — Create 3-D MATLAB Graphics animation of three-degrees-of-freedom object.
6DoF Animation — Create 3-D MATLAB Graphics animation of six-degrees-of-freedom object.
MATLAB Animation — Create six-degrees-of-freedom multibody custom geometry block.

Here is the animation from a simulation in Multiple Aircraft with Collaborative Control using the MATLAB Animation block.

Example animation using MATLAB Animation block.

Utility Visualization Blocks

Use the utility visualization blocks to provide joystick interface inputs to your model. This library also contains the Simulation Pace block, to set the simulation rate for animation viewing.

Pilot Joystick — Provide joystick interface on Windows^® platform. This block is the same as the Pilot Joystick All block with the Output configuration parameter set to FourAxis.
Pilot Joystick All — Provide joystick interface in All Outputs configuration on Windows platform. This block is the same as the Pilot Joystick block with the Output configuration parameter set to AllOutputs.
Simulation Pace — Set simulation rate for animation viewing.