International Conference KNOWLEDGE-BASED ORGANIZATION

Vol. XXXI No 3 2025

ADDING ATMOSPHERIC TURBULENCE TO A MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF

AN AIRCRAFT

Martin KAMBUSHEV, Assen MARINOV

“Georgi Benkovski” Air Force Academy, Dolna Mitropolia, Bulgaria

[email protected]

Abstract: Regardless of the design, all types of aircraft are affected by atmospheric turbulence and
air currents. Depending on the size, type and altitude of the flight, atmospheric disturbances affect
them differently. The same disturbance acting on an unmanned aerial vehicle flying at high altitude,
for example, a Predator UAV, and on a quadcopter flying a few meters above the ground, will have in
the first case minimal or no impact on the flight parameters, and hence on the correct performance of
the task, while in the case of a quadcopter it can even lead to a collision with the ground or a nearby
obstacle (building, tree, etc.).
The article examines the types of translational and turbulent atmospheric disturbances. The reasons
for their occurrence are described. The article uses a mathematical model of an aircraft with six
degrees of freedom. To create it, Euler's standard differential equations for the change in the amount
of momentum and the theorem for the change in angular momentum were used. It is examined in detail
how atmospheric disturbances should be added to the differential equations describing the aircraft. It
is studied how wind gusts are converted into forces that affect the flight parameters. Depending on the
type and size of the aircraft, these forces are of different magnitude and have different effects on the
behavior of the aircraft in flight.

Keywords: Dryden model, atmospheric turbulence, nonlinear mode

1. Introduction average dependence of the physical

For accurate modelling of the motion of an parameters of the air environment on height
aircraft [3], it is necessary to take into for all latitudes and longitudes of the Earth's
account the changes in the parameters of geoid and for all seasons. This model is
the surrounding environment when suitable for calculating and comparing the
changing the altitude and flight speed, as characteristics of different aircraft in the
well as to account for wind gusts and same conditions, but does not allow
atmospheric turbulence. This requires predicting the probabilistic characteristics
making an accurate model of the of aircraft when used in different
atmosphere, which can be added to the geographical regions and different seasons.
aircraft model. The reason for the occurrence of air
currents is the uneven distribution of air
2. Atmospheric Turbulence Model pressure in the atmosphere. The
In atmospheric modelling, the most widely disproportionate distribution of atmospheric
used model is the International Standard pressure leads to the appearance of air
Atmosphere [2]. It assumes a uniform currents. The season, the location above the

DOI: 10.2478/kbo-2025-0080
© 2025 Martin Kambushev et al. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No
Derivatives 3.0 License.

62
Earth's surface, the relief of the area and the each other, as a result of which wind layers
presence of vapor in the atmosphere are the are formed. It is known that waves form at
factors that influence the degree to which the boundary of two air layers moving
the air is heated by the sun. In this case, relative to each other, which can be
significant temperature differences arise dangerous for the aircraft. Falling into such
between the different layers in the an area, the aircraft begins to shake.
horizontal and vertical directions, leading to Gusts of wind are also observed with all
changes in density and pressure. Therefore, types of air currents. They are characterized
the thermal energy transmitted by the sun is by sharp changes in speed and direction of
transformed into air particles’ motion which movement. Gusts vary in size and direction.
occurs at different speeds and in various Moreover, the greater the average speed of
directions. If the particle velocity exceeds a the current, the more intense the gust.
certain limit, the motion becomes turbulent. Depending on the size and direction of the
Such motion is random and is accompanied gust, the aircraft begins to experience sharp
by significant vortex formation [4]. rises and falls, and also experiences lateral
Air currents can be classified in two slip.
categories: vertical and horizontal. The speed of vertical wind gusts in the
Vertical currents include updrafts and troposphere and low layers of the
downdrafts, cloud currents, and eddies. The stratosphere can reach 10÷12 m/s with a
effect of these currents on aircraft flight turbulent layer strength of up to 1000 m and
depends on the magnitude of the vertical in the horizontal plane up to 200,000 m.
component of the air velocity, the spatial The strongest turbulence is observed at an
region occupied by the current itself, the altitude of 7÷10,000 m.
aircraft's flight speed, etc. Horizontal Horizontal wind gusts, as well as horizontal
currents include winds, wind layers, gusts, currents, have significantly higher speeds
waves, and eddies that are constant in than vertical ones, and with increasing
magnitude and direction. height their speed increases. The speed of
Updrafts occur when air heated by contact such wind gusts at an altitude of 7÷10,000
with the earth's surface rises. Such currents m can reach 20 m/s, and at higher altitudes
are often observed on quiet summer and higher values.
afternoons. The speed of rise of warm air Every air flow is accompanied by vortex
sometimes reaches 10÷12 m/s. When one of formation. Moreover, the vortex’s rotation
the wings of the aircraft is affected, the speed is directly proportionate to the flow’s
distribution of the lifting force changes and speed. Air turbulence, which results from
the aircraft rolls. At the moment of entering the contact of the air with the Earth’s
and exiting such a flow, the aircraft receives surface, thermal motion, the contact
a sudden boost. With an upward flow, the between layers of air moving at different
aircraft receives an increase in lifting force, speeds, etc., leads to the appearance of
and with a downward flow, the lifting force vortices.
decreases and a tendency to collapse Vortices caused by the turbulent motion of
appears. the air commonly have a horizontal rotation
Upward and downward flows are also axis, although their rotation can sometimes
observed when moving in clouds. In this occur around a vertical axis.
case, within the boundaries of the cloud, the In modelling atmospheric disturbances, the
air rises up, and between the clouds it wind speed can be represented as:
descends down. 𝑉𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑑 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉𝑐 , (1)
Individual layers of air differ in where: V1 is the constant component of the
temperature, humidity and density, wind, Vc is a random variable.
therefore they begin to move relative to The movement of the atmosphere is a

63
turbulent process, which means that at any
given moment the speed and direction of
the wind are random. Turbulence
characterizes the variable component of the
wind speed. The constant component at low
altitudes is approximately described by the
power law:
n
V1  H1 
  (2)
V0  H 0  Figure 1: Reading the direction of the constant
where: V1- is the mean value of the wind component of the wind
velocity at a certain altitude H1;
Statistical methods, which employ the
V0 is the average value of the constant
assumptions of stationarity, uniformity and
component of the wind at the reference
isotropicity, define the wind velocity’s
height H0;
variable component. Stationarity implies
n is an indicator dependent on weather
independence from time. Isotropicity
conditions.
implies independence from direction, which
Typical values that can be used are H0=10
is not true for low-altitude flights over
m, at this altitude the speed is V0=3÷4 m/s,
rough terrain.
with exponent n=0.15÷0.2.
Uniformity implies independence of
These values are valid for altitudes of
between the points and the averaging
300÷500 m.
interval:
For a standard atmosphere, according to [2],
the constant component of the wind speed Vc  Vc ( X , t )  Vc (V , t ) (4)
can be approximated by the following The spatial distribution of wind is seen as
equations: frozen, and considering the time, it is
H 0,2545  0, 4097 assumed that the aircraft pierces this
V1  V9,15 (0< H distribution (Taylor's hypothesis). To
1,3470
estimate isotropic turbulence, two
< 300 m); components of the random wind speed are
used: the component along the tangent to
V1  2.86586 V9,15 (H ≥ 300 m), (3) the trajectory Vt and normal constituent Vn.
where V9.15 is the wind speed at height 9,15 The results which are obtained
m: V9.15  1(m / s) . experimentally are subjected to statistical
The impact of the direction of the constant processing in the form of simple
component of the wind on the flight of the approximation using empirical formulas, in
aircraft is shown in Fig. 1 and is calculated which the spectral densities are fractional
using the following expressions: rational functions of the frequency [1]. In
this way, the wind effects are seen as white
𝑉𝑥𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑑 = 𝑉1 cos 𝜓𝑤 − 𝜋 cos 𝜓
noise passed through classical structure
+ 𝑉1 sin 𝜓𝑤 − 𝜋 sin 𝜓
linear shaping filters. The most common are
𝑉𝑐𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑑 = −𝑉1 cos 𝜓𝑤 − 𝜋 sin 𝜓
the empirical formulas for the correlation
+ 𝑉1 sin 𝜓𝑤 − 𝜋 cos 𝜓
functions of the longitudinal and transverse
components of the turbulent disturbances of
the form:

64
 
S the flight speed V [1] (9):
Rt   e
2 L
; t 
  ,
S x V (9)
(5)
 S  L
2
L 2
2
a 2
Rn   2 1  e , St  
V  2 L2  1   2a2
,
1
 2 L  V2
in which: L2
1  3 2
σ - turbulent motion dispersion; V 2   2 a 1  3 a ,
2 2
L
S n   2
L - turbulence scale;  V   2 L2  2
 1   2 a 2 2
 1  
S - distance between two points in the  V2 
turbulence field. L
The transition from correlation functions to where: a  the time constant of the
V
spectral densities as a function of spatial shaping filter.
angular frequency is performed by applying Signals with the desired spectral densities
the Wiener - Hinchin theorem: are obtained from white noise with spectral
L 2
St      2 ; density after passing through shaping filters
 1   2 L2 with the following frequency characteristics
(6)
2 L 1  3 L
2 2
[1]:
Sn      .
 1   2 L2 2 a 1.41
Kt  j    ,
It usually lies within the range of 150÷1500
 S0 1  ja
(10)
m, and the recommended [1] average values a 1  j1.73a
are L=300 m at H≥300 m and L=H at K n j    .
 S0 1  ja 2
H≤300 m. These values are recommended
as a result of measurements of the The tangential component is obtained after
overloads created during flight in a passing white noise through an aperiodic
turbulent atmosphere: unit with time constant a. The normal
H component is obtained after passing the
Ly  Lz  . (7) signal through three series-connected filters
 0,177  0,000823h 
1,2
– two aperiodic ones with the same time
The distribution of the moment values for constant and a forcing unit with time
the components of turbulent disturbances is L
described by a normal distribution law. For constant 3 .
V
example, for the component along the X The final version of the atmospheric
axis the probability density is given by [1]: disturbance modeling algorithm is obtained

Wx Wx 0 2
1 as a combination of the stochastic and
P Wx   e 2 2
. (8) deterministic models.
 2
Taking into account the influence of
3. Research on the Influence of atmospheric disturbances on the aircraft
Atmospheric Disturbances on UAV motion model is reduced to adding the wind
Movement speed components to the road speed
To model a turbulent atmosphere, it is components in the force and moment
necessary to express the spectral densities expressions [6]. The specific independent
in real scale, which requires modeling a arguments are airspeed, glide angle and
random stationary process with a normal angle of attack. To take atmospheric
distribution. disturbances into account, it is necessary to
First, it is necessary to use the relationship modify these three arguments appropriately.
between the spatial (Ω) and temporal To simulate the influence of atmospheric
angular velocities (ω), the distance X and disturbances on the flight, a nonlinear

65
mathematical model of an aircraft was is obtained:
compiled. To create it, Euler's standard 𝑑𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠
𝑚 𝑑𝑡 + 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠 − 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠 = 𝐹𝑥
differential equations for the change in the
𝑑𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠
amount of motion 𝑚
𝑑𝑉
= 𝐹 were used, 𝑚 + 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠 − 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠 = 𝐹𝑦 (12)
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠
𝑑𝑉
where 𝑑𝑡 - absolute acceleration in an 𝑚 + 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠 − 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠 = 𝐹𝑧
𝑑𝑡
inertial (stationary) coordinate system, F - Differential equations (12) are
resultant of external forces, and the theorem transformed into the form:
𝐹
for the change in kinetic momentum 𝑉𝑥1 = 𝑚𝑥 − 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠 + 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠 − 𝑉𝑥𝑎
𝑑𝐾 𝐹𝑦
= 𝑀 , where K- vector of kinetic 𝑉𝑦1 = − 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠 + 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠 − 𝑉𝑦𝑎 (13)
𝑑𝑡 𝑚
momentum and M- resultant vector of 𝐹𝑧
𝑉𝑧1 = 𝑚 − 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠 + 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠 − 𝑉𝑧𝑎
external moments. Coupled 𝑀𝑥1 𝑦1 𝑧1 and
velocity 𝑀𝑥𝑎 𝑦𝑎 𝑧𝑎 coordinate systems were From equations (13) get 𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠 , 𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠 , 𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠
used. with their equal values from (11) and we get:
yа y1 𝐹𝑥
𝑉𝑥1 = − 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠 + 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠 + 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑦𝑎 − 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑧𝑎 − 𝑉𝑥𝑎
𝑚
𝐹𝑦
𝑉𝑦1 = − 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠 + 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠 + 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑧𝑎 − 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑥𝑎 − 𝑉𝑦𝑎 (14)
𝑚
𝐹𝑧
x1 𝑉𝑧1 = − 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠 + 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠 + 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑥𝑎 − 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑦𝑎 − 𝑉𝑧𝑎
M 𝑚
Atmospheric effects can be represented as
zа W= xa
forces. In equations (14) the accelerations
Vв
xa 𝑉𝑥𝑎 , 𝑉𝑦𝑎 , 𝑉𝑧𝑎 are taken as forces
z1
normalized by the mass of the object. The
second summands on the right-hand side
Figure 2: Coordinate systems used
of equations (14) can be replaced by:
If the velocity vector in the coupled 𝐹𝑥𝑎 = 𝑚 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑦𝑎 − 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑧𝑎 − 𝑉𝑥𝑎
coordinate system(ccs) is represented as the 𝐹𝑦𝑎 = 𝑚 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑧𝑎 − 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑥𝑎 − 𝑉𝑦𝑎 (15)
sum of the atmospheric disturbance vector 𝐹𝑧𝑎 = 𝑚 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑥𝑎 − 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑦𝑎 − 𝑉𝑧𝑎
and the velocity vector in the undisturbed
Therefore, after putting equations (15) into
atmosphere, we obtain: equations (14) we get:
𝑉𝑐𝑐𝑠 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉𝑎 1
𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠 = 𝑉𝑥1 + 𝑉𝑎𝑥 𝑉𝑥1 = 𝐹 + 𝐹𝑥𝑎 − 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑧1 + 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑦1
𝑚 𝑥
𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠 = 𝑉𝑦1 + 𝑉𝑦𝑥 (11) 1
𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠 = 𝑉𝑧1 + 𝑉𝑎𝑥 𝑉𝑦1 = 𝐹 + 𝐹𝑦𝑎 − 𝜔𝑧 𝑉𝑥1 + 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑧1 (16)
 𝑚 𝑦
where: V1 - velocity vector in an 1
𝑉𝑧1 = 𝐹 + 𝐹𝑧𝑎 − 𝜔𝑥 𝑉𝑦1 + 𝜔𝑦 𝑉𝑥1
undisturbed atmosphere in the coupled 𝑚 𝑧
coordinate system; Expressions (16) have the general form.
From equations (16) we can obtain
𝑉𝑎 = 𝑉𝑑𝑒𝑡 . + 𝑉𝑠𝑡. – atmospheric disturbance
differential equations for V ,  ,  (17):
vector;
V  Vx1 cos  cos   Vy1 sin  cos   Vz1 sin  ;
𝑉𝑑𝑒𝑡 . - deterministic component of
atmospheric disturbances; Vx1 sin   Vy1 cos  (17)
  ;
𝑉𝑠𝑡. - stochastic component of atmospheric V cos 
disturbances. V  V sin 

  z1 ;
Replacing 𝑉𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑠 , 𝑉𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑠 , 𝑉𝑧𝑐𝑐𝑠 from (11) in the V cos 
projections of the theorem for changing the To take into account the influence of
amount of motion along the axes the atmospheric disturbances on the flight
associated coordinate system 𝑀𝑥1 𝑦1 𝑧1 [5] parameters, it is sufficient to integrate only

66
the three equations (17). Equations (16) do Figure 3 and figure 4 shows how the wind
not need to be integrated, and after from Fig. 1 affects the flight parameters.
calculation their right-hand sides are taken 1. The impact of atmospheric turbulence on
as values for 𝑉𝑥1 , 𝑉𝑦1 , 𝑉𝑧1 в (17). flight parameters has been modeled.
Figure 2 shows the wind projections along 2. A model of the forces caused by
the axes of the coupled coordinate system, atmospheric turbulence and acting along the
obtained from expressions (11). The graphs axes of the UAV has been obtained.
in it were obtained when modeling a 3. The resulting model allows for modeling
horizontal flight at an altitude of 1000 m atmospheric disturbances of different
and a flight speed of 100 m/s. strength and direction and for investigating
their impact on UAV flight.
4. Conclusion
The angle between the flight control and the Acknowledgements
wind direction shown in Fig. 1 is The research in this article was carried out
𝜓 − 𝜓𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑑 = 30° . The graphs were in fulfillment of Task 3.1.9. "Construction
obtained after integrating equations (17), in of a network of autonomous low-powered
which the expressions (11÷16) were aerial devices (quadracopters) for control of
substituted. an urbanized area" by the National
4
wind acting along the axes of the associated coordinate system
Scientific Program "Security and Defense",
2 adopted by RMS No. 731 of 21.10.2021.
Vxsh[m/s]

and according to Agreement No. D01-

oc-X

-2

3
10 20 30 40 50
t [s]
60 70 80 90 100
constant component of the wind
74/19.05.2022".
2

1
Vysh[m/s]
oc-Y

-1

-2
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
t [s]
5

3
Vzsh[m/s]
oc-Z

0
100
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
t [s]
constant component of the wind

Figure 3: Wind modeling along the axes of the

coupled coordinate system

100.2

100.1

100
[m/s]
V

99.9

99.8

99.7
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
t [s]
flight speed without wind

5.62

5.61
[°]
α

5.6

5.59

5.58

5.57
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
t [s]
-3 angle of attack without wind
x 10
4

2
β[°
]

-2

-4
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
t [s]
glide angle without wind

Figure 4: Influence of turbulence on flight

Parameters

References

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67
[4] Show-Tien Wang, Walter F. Atmospheric Turbulence Simulation Techniques with
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