Motion platform apparatus and method of displacing a payload platform

A vehicle simulation motion platform apparatus comprising:

• a payload platform having peripheral elevation sites;
• a base stage having peripheral anchoring sites;
• and
• linkages configured to couple the peripheral anchoring sites to the peripheral elevation sites respectively, the linkages comprising a first linkage;
• wherein
• the first linkage comprises a first arm operably coupled at a first end thereof by a spherical joint to a second arm at a first end thereof;
• the first arm is operably coupled at a second end thereof to an anchoring site of the peripheral anchoring sites by a first revolute joint;
• the second arm is operably coupled at a second end thereof to an elevation site of the peripheral elevation sites by a second revolute joint;
• the apparatus further comprises a drive system which has a motor coupled to a paired gearbox arrangement;
• and
• the paired gearbox arrangement comprises a drive shaft that extends between a first side gearbox located at a first side end of the first arm and a second side gearbox located at a second side end of the first arm.