Skeet Flight Dynamics

(Done properly)

Figure 1: Velocity relationship in 3D spatial environment

The flight path of the skeet needs to be broken down into the component of
its velocity only in the direction of the stake. Using Figure 1, the component
of velocity towards the stake, Vx (t), can be resolved from the absolute velocity,
|V (t)|, by the relationship, Vx (t) = |V (t)|cos(θ)cos(γ). For this analysis, θ =
20◦ , and γ ≈ 0◦ − 5◦ .

The governing equation for the flight path in the direction of the stake is repre-
sented by Newton’s 2nd law:
dVx
= −KVx2
dt
In terms of distance traveled, x(t):

d2 x
= −KVx2
dt2
Vx is the velocity of the clay target in the direction of the stake, x is the position
of the clay target from the house with which it was thrown, t is time, and K is
the model parameter (assumed constant) to be defined later.

1
Integrating the governing equation once with the initial condition, Vx (0) = Vx0 ,
yields:
Vx0
Vx (t) =
1 + KVx0 t
Integrating again yields:
1
x(t) = ln(1 + KVx0 t)
K
It is now obvious that the velocity of the clay target has a nonlinear relationship
with time as it traverses the skeet field. The degree of nonlinearity depends on
the model parameter, K, and time. As both K and time increase, the velocity
falls off in an increasingly nonlinear manner. Therefore, the model parameter
K needs to be examined carefully.

Modeling paramter (K)

K is a well known modeling constant for flight dynamics under the influence of
drag forces. For this particular application, K is represented by:
ρair Cd Ac
K=
2mc
where Cd is the drag coefficient of the clay target, ρair is the density of air, Ac
is the cross sectional area of the clay seen when looking down the x-axis, and
mc is the mass of the clay target.

• mc is the standard clay mass, 0.105 kg.

• ρair can be calculated from the ideal gas law, ρair = P/Rair T
• Ac can be calculated from standard clay dimensions as well, but needs to
be examined further
• Cd is a function of the clays geometry, as well as the velocity at which
it is traveling, however, at these low speeds, it can be considered only a
function of geometry. It too, needs to be examined further

Modeling Cross Sectional Area, Ac

A standard clay target is said to have a diameter of 108mm, and a height of
29mm. If we start with examining a clay target by looking straight on with it,
i.e. there is no tilt; the clay looks somewhat like 2 rectangles stacked on top
of each other. The rectangle on bottom is larger than the rectangle on top and
some assumptions can be made to obtain a value for Ac . First, lets assume that
the height of each rectangle is half the overall height of the skeet. Next, lets
assume that the length of the rectangle on top is 3/4 the length of the target.
Then Ac can be calculated as:

2
 D ∗ h 3D ∗ h
Ac = +
2 8
where D is the overall diameter and h is the overall height. Keep in mind,
because the target is thrown with an angle relative to the x-axis, the actual
frontal area seen by an observer looking down the x-axis will be greater. The
larger Ac value will cause an increase in the drag force, thus, a longer time
until the target reaches the stake. However, for this analysis, we will ignore this
increased portion of the area to further prove that the results are reasonable
beyond any doubt.
Modeling Drag Coefficient, Cd
The drag coefficient is another term that needs assumptions in order to model
correctly. This is because no published drag force data for clay targets is avail-
able to the author’s knowledge. However, the shape of the clay can be compared
to common shapes that do have published drag data.
First of all, the aerodynamic profile of a clay target is not streamlined, i.e. it
is not airfoil or teardrop shaped to reduce the wake region that forms behind
the clay target. Therefore, the dynamics are going to follow profiles of what
is known as a blunt body. Furthermore, the incoming angle of the clay target
relative to the x-axis allows air to fill in the space underneath the target, which
also adds to the drag component.
Rectangles, cubes, disks, etc. are all good places to start for drag coefficients.
Websites such as: http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/shaped.html
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragcoefficient offer drag coefficients of many
common shapes. Observing the data for sharp-edged, blunt body objects, it
can be estimated that the drag coefficient should have an appropriate range of:
Cd ≈ 0.95 − 1.2
Calculations
Rearranging the formula for the distance traveled by the clay target as a function
of time, one can yield the expression:
1 ( )
t= eKx − 1
Vx0 K
therefore, once the initial velocity towards the stake (Vx0 ) is known, the distance
of interest (66f t) is known, and the modeling parameter (K) is known, the time
it takes the clay to reach the stake can be determined.

3
One area of discrepancy for all of the claims made on shotgunworld.com is the
absolute velocity of a clay target leaving the house. For American skeet, claims
have been ranging anywhere from 43mph to 47mph. For International skeet,
the claims have been in the upper 50′ s to 65mph. Therefore, a chart has been
made to examine the time required for the clay to reach the stake (t) as both
initial absolute velocity magnitudes (|V |) and drag coefficients (Cd ) are varied.

|V |(mph) Vx0 (mph) Cd t(sec)

43 40.4 0.95 1.31
43 40.4 1.2 1.37
47 44.17 0.95 1.2
47 44.17 1.2 1.25
60 56.38 0.95 0.95
60 56.38 1.2 0.99
65 61.08 0.95 0.87
65 61.08 1.2 0.92

Conclusive evidence has been presented for the argument. Assuming 0.97 sec-
onds for International skeet, and 1.3 seconds for American skeet is valid. Or
should I say, reasonable.