What is Simulink?

• Simulink is a graphical extension to MATLAB for modeling and simulation of

systems.
• It enables rapid construction of virtual prototypes to explore design
concepts at any level of detail with minimal effort.
• For modeling, Simulink provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for
building models as block diagrams.
• It includes a comprehensive library of pre-defined blocks to be used to
construct graphical models of systems using drag-and-drop mouse
operations.
What is Simulink?
• A Visual Programming Powerhouse: Build systems intuitively by
connecting pre-built blocks resembling real-world components. Forget
complex coding!
• Extending Beyond Math: Integrates seamlessly with MATLAB, providing
access to mathematical and computational tools for even greater depth.
• A Multifaceted Gem: Caters to diverse disciplines, from engineering and
science to control systems and signal processing.
• Its visual programming approach lets you build systems by dragging and
dropping blocks representing functionalities, making it accessible even if
you're not a coding pro.
• Plus, its tight integration with MATLAB offers mathematical and
computational muscle, expanding its capabilities further.
Basic elements of Simulink
• There are two major categories of elements in Simulink:
• Blocks
• Lines
• Blocks are used to generate, modify, combine, output, and display
signals.
• Lines, on the other hand, are used to transfer signals from one block
to another.
Blocks
• Blocks have zero to several input terminals and zero to several output
terminals.
• Unused input terminals are indicated by a small open triangle.
• Unused output terminals are indicated by a small triangular point.
• The block shown below has an unused input terminal on the left and
an unused output terminal on the right.
Blocks
• There are several general classes of blocks within the Simulink library:
• Continuous function blocks such as Derivative and Integrator
• Dashboard-Blocks that can control parameter values and display
signal values during simulation
• Customizable Blocks - Blocks with customizable appearance that
control parameter values and display signal values during
simulation
• Discontinuous function blocks such as Saturation
• Discrete time blocks such as Unit Delay
• Logic or bit operation blocks such as Logical Operator and
Relational Operator
Basic elements of Simulink
• Lookup table blocks such as Cosine and Sine
• Math Operations - Mathematical function blocks such as Gain, Product, and Sum
• Matrix Operations - Blocks for modelling matrix operations
• Messages & Events - Blocks for modeling message-based communication
• Model Verification - Blocks for self-verifying models, such as Check Input Resolution
• Model-Wide Utilities - Model-wide operation blocks such as Model Info and Block
Support Table
• Ports and Subsystems - Blocks related to subsystems, such as Inport, Outport,
Subsystem, and Model
• Signal Attributes - Blocks for modifying signal attributes such as Data Type
Conversion
• Signal Routing - Route signal blocks such as Bus Creator and Switch
Basic elements of Simulink
• Sinks - Log and visualize signal data and terminate signal lines
• Sources - Provide inputs for simulation using blocks that define and generate
signals or load signal data
• String - String manipulation blocks
• User-Defined Functions - Custom function blocks such as MATLAB Function,
MATLAB System, Simulink Function, and Initialize Function
• Additional Math and Discrete - Mathematical and discrete function blocks
such as Decrement Stored Integer
Lines
• Lines transmit signals in the direction indicated by the arrow.
• Lines must always transmit signals from the output terminal of one
block to the input terminal of another block.
• On exception to this is a line can tap off of another line, splitting the
signal to each of two destination blocks.
Key Features of Simulink
• Extensive Library: Leverage a wealth of pre-built blocks representing
motors,sensors, actuators, and countless other components.
• Customization Freedom: Craft unique blocks to model specific
components or modify existing ones for bespoke requirements.
• Simulation Mastery: Run sophisticated simulations, analyze
results, and refine your designs in a virtual environment.
• Code Generation Power: Seamlessly translate Simulink models into
real-world code for deployment on hardware platforms.
Benefits of Simulink
• Accelerated Development: Rapid prototyping and efficient
simulations shave off precious time from your development cycle.
• Enhanced Design Confidence: Test and analyze designs
rigorously, leading to more robust and reliable systems.
• Improved Safety: Experiment in a virtual environment, minimizing
risks associated with real-world testing.
• Streamlined Collaboration: Share models and components
effortlessly, fostering teamwork and knowledge sharing.
UAV Toolbox
• A specialized toolbox within MATLAB, offering dedicated tools for UAV
design, simulation, testing, and deployment.
• Build UAV systems graphically using pre-built blocks, simplifying
development compared to text-based coding.
• Leverage a rich library of models for motors, sensors, actuator,
autopilots, and more, saving development time.
Key features of UAV Toolbox
• Design & Model UAV Systems: Create detailed models of your
UAVs, including control systems, autopilots, and sensor fusion
algorithms.
• Simulate Realistic Scenarios: Test your UAV designs in diverse
simulated environments, evaluating performance and identifying
potential issues.
• Rapid Prototyping & Testing: Generate code from Simulink models
for real-time testing on hardware-in-the-loop setups or actual UAVs.
• Advanced Control Design: Develop and test sophisticated control
algorithms using dedicated libraries and analysis tools within the
toolbox.
Key features of UAV Toolbox
• First, you have to develop a model of the actual plant (hardware) in
a simulation environment such as Simulink, which captures most of
the important features of the hardware system.
• After the plant model is created, develop the controller model and
verify if the controller can control the plant (which is the model of the
motor in this case) as per the requirement.
• This step is called Model-in-Loop (MIL) and you are testing the
controller logic on the simulated model of the plant.
• If your controller works as desired, you should record the input and
output of the controller which will be used in the later stage of
verification.
Building box for UAV Simulation
MIL, SIL, HIL Workflows for UAV Simulation
MIL, SIL, HIL Workflows for UAV Simulation
UAV Toolbox support package for PX4