Maves: A Simulation Platform for Reduced-Order Planar Vtol Vehicles

This paper presents MAVES (Matlab Aerial Vehicle Simulator), a nonlinear reduced-order simulation environment for analyzing and testing planar vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) dynamics. The simulator models rigid-body dynamics including thrust-coupled translational and rotational motion, first-order motor dynamics, and nonlinear state-space evolution in a 2D vertical plane. While reduced in dimension, the model preserves the core nonlinearities governing attitude-dependent accelerations and thrust-moment interactions, actuation latencies caused by slow motor dynamics and saturation making it suitable for rapid controller prototyping, trajectory generation, and stability analysis prior to 3D implementation. We derive the full nonlinear equations of motion, provide linearized models around hover, and implement multiple reference tracking experiments using PID controllers and spline-based trajectories. Simulation results demonstrate the platform’s suitability for benchmarking controller performance under nominal conditions, while providing the infrastructure to extend the analysis to parameter uncertainty and external disturbances. MAVES offers a lightweight, fully transparent framework for early-stage algorithm development and reproducible research in VTOL control systems.