“In flight mechanics, ‘induced drag at L/D max’ refers to the minimum drag experienced by an aircraft when it achieves its maximum lift-to-drag ratio (L/D). Induced drag is generated due to the production of lift by the wings and decreases as the lift-to-drag ratio increases. At L/D max, the induced drag is minimized, indicating the most aerodynamically efficient configuration for a given flight condition. The induced drag and parasite drag are equal at (L/D)max. The formula to calculate the induced drag is as follows:
Where:
- Dmin is the Minimum drag force in N.
- Dinduced is the induced drag in N.