Simple physics behind the flight of a drone

Abstract

The flight of a quadcopter drone, readily available as a toy, is analyzed using simple physics concepts. A smartphone with built-in accelerometer and gyroscope was attached to the drone to register the accelerations and angular velocities along the three spatial axis while the drone is taking off, landing or rotating. The vertical speed, the height and one of the angular coordinates are obtained through numerical integration of the acceleration values and compared with information provided by the manufacturer. The analysis of these quantities provides an opportunity to gain insight into important physics concepts involving Newton laws and conservation principles in a stimulating environment.