Parasite drag coefficient (CD,e) is a dimensionless aerodynamic parameter that quantifies the contribution of parasite drag to the total aerodynamic drag experienced by an object moving through a fluid, such as air. Parasite drag refers to the drag force that arises from factors other than lift production, and it includes various forms of non-lift-related resistance that a moving object encounters.
- CD,e is the parasite drag coefficient that includes the effects of both zero-lift drag and lift-induced drag.
- CD,o is the zero-lift drag coefficient, which represents the drag of the aircraft when it is not generating lift (i.e., at zero angle of attack).
- r is the empirically determined constant that quantifies the relationship between lift and the additional drag it induces.
- CL is the lift coefficient of the aircraft, which characterizes the lift it generates relative to its angle of attack and wing geometry.