MATLAB Array Operations, Functions, and Plots

Calculate distance and velocity from coordinate changes, and check the results using functions and plots.

Use MATLAB or MATLAB Online. The basic activities run in MATLAB alone and do not require a drone connection.

Starting conditions

Create $\mathrm{dx}=\begin{bmatrix}0.3&0.4&0\end{bmatrix}$ and $\mathrm{dy}=\begin{bmatrix}0.4&0&0.2\end{bmatrix}$ as column vectors.

Procedure

1. Calculate segment lengths using sqrt and .^, and compare with hypot.
2. Compare the sizes and meanings of dx.*dy and dx*dy'.

Results to retain

• The difference between the two distance calculations and a comparison of multiplication methods.

Starting conditions

$t=\begin{bmatrix}0&1&2&4\end{bmatrix}$ s, height=[0,.4,.9,.7] m.

Procedure

1. Compute diff(height) and diff(t), then divide elementwise to calculate average vertical velocity for the three intervals.
2. Plot height at measurement times and vertical velocity at the midpoint of each interval. Label axes and units on each plot.
3. For the final interval $2$–$4$ s, calculate values using the actual time difference and assuming 1 s. In two rows, record the height change, time difference used, and calculated vertical velocity, and explain the difference.

Results to retain

• Height/vertical velocity plots and a comparison for the final interval.

Starting conditions

Apply segmentLength=@(dx,dy) hypot(dx,dy) to new coordinate changes as well.

Procedure

1. Pass two vectors of equal length to the function.
2. Check the resulting size when one input is a row vector and the other is a column vector.
3. Check that inputs have the same shape, or standardize their shapes.

Results to retain

• A small reusable function and 1 invalid input example.

• MATLAB Onramp · Official exercises