Fixed-Wing UAV Simulation in PX4 and Gazebo: An AVL-Based Approach

This paper presents a methodology for accurately modeling and simulating fixed-wing UAVs in the PX4 and Gazebo environments using aerodynamic data derived from the Athena Vortex Lattice (AVL) method. We introduce an automated pipeline that extracts aerodynamic coefficients from a user-defined YAML file, executes AVL, and parses its output into a physics-compatible. sdf file for Gazebo. The system supports advanced configurations such as partial-span control surfaces and hinge positioning. Additionally, a two-way parameter syn-chronization framework bridges discrepancies between PX4 and Gazebo, ensuring simulation fidelity. This approach simplifies deployment of autonomous flight algorithms in simulation.