Induced drag, in flight mechanics, refers to the drag force generated as a consequence of the production of lift by an aircraft’s wings. It arises due to the creation of wingtip vortices, which deflect air downwards, causing a rearward airflow component opposite to the direction of flight. This drag force is intimately linked to the wing’s generation of lift and increases with higher angles of attack. The formula to calculate Induced drag as follows:
Where:
- CD is the Drag Coefficient,
- S is the Wing area in m2,
- V is the Velocity in m/s,
- Di is the induced drag in N.