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Lift-induced drag, induced drag, vortex drag, or sometimes drag due to lift, in aerodynamics, is an aerodynamic drag force that occurs whenever a moving object redirects the airflow coming at it. This drag force occurs in airplanes due to wings or a lifting body redirecting air to cause lift and also in cars with airfoil wings that redirect air ...
Lift is always accompanied by a drag force, which is the component of the surface force parallel to the flow direction. Lift is mostly associated with the wings of fixed-wing aircraft , although it is more widely generated by many other streamlined bodies such as propellers , kites , helicopter rotors , racing car wings , maritime sails , wind ...
Lift-induced drag (also called induced drag) is drag which occurs as the result of the creation of lift on a three-dimensional lifting body, such as the wing or propeller of an airplane. Induced drag consists primarily of two components: drag due to the creation of trailing vortices ( vortex drag ); and the presence of additional viscous drag ...
Parasitic drag is defined as the combination of form drag and skin friction drag. [3] [1]: 641–642 [4]: 19 It is named as such because it is not useful, in contrast with lift-induced drag which is created when an airfoil generates lift. All objects experience parasitic drag, regardless of whether they generate lift.
Drag and lift coefficients for the NACA 63 3 618 airfoil. Full curves are lift, dashed drag; red curves have R e = 3·10 6, blue 9·10 6. Coefficients of lift and drag against angle of attack. Curve showing induced drag, parasitic drag and total drag as a function of airspeed. Drag curve for the NACA 63 3 618 airfoil, colour-coded as opposite plot.
The deflected or "turned" flow of air creates a resultant force on the wing in the opposite direction (Newton's 3rd law). The resultant force is identified as lift. Flying close to a surface increases air pressure on the lower wing surface, nicknamed the "ram" or "cushion" effect, and thereby improves the aircraft lift-to-drag ratio.
The drag coefficient is always associated with a particular surface area. [3] The drag coefficient of any object comprises the effects of the two basic contributors to fluid dynamic drag: skin friction and form drag. The drag coefficient of a lifting airfoil or hydrofoil also includes the effects of lift-induced drag.
Wingtip vortices are associated with induced drag, the imparting of downwash, and are a fundamental consequence of three-dimensional lift generation. [1]: 5.17, 8.9 Careful selection of wing geometry (in particular, wingspan), as well as of cruise conditions, are design and operational methods to minimize induced drag.