Form Drag also known as pressure drag, is a component of parasite drag in aircraft design. It arises from the pressure difference between the front and rear sides of an object as air flows around it. Form drag occurs due to the shape, size, and orientation of the object and is an important consideration in designing streamlined and aerodynamically efficient aircraft.
Formula: The formula for form drag (Df) can be expressed as:
- Df is the form drag (in newtons, N).
- ρ (rho) is the air density (in kilograms per cubic meter, kg/m³).
- V is the velocity of the aircraft relative to the air (in meters per second, m/s).
- Cd is the coefficient of form drag (dimensionless).
- A is the reference area of the object (in square meters, m²).