Flight and attitude dynamics measurements of an instrumented Frisbee

Abstract

In-flight measurements are made of the translational accelerations and attitude motion of a hand-thrown flying disc using miniaturized accelerometers and other sensors and a microcontroller data acquisition system. The experiments explore the capabilities and limitations of sensors on a rapidly rotating platform moving in air, and illustrate several of the complex gyrodynamic aspects of Frisbee flight. The data give insight into the biomechanics of Frisbee launch, and indicate lift, drag and pitch moment coefficients consistent with previous wind-tunnel measurements. The experiments constitute an instructive exercise in aerospace vehicle systems integration and in attitude reconstruction, and open the way to guided disc wings using control surfaces actuated during specific spin phases determined by onboard sensors.