Collaborate Disseminate
While most of us don’t design aircraft or racing cars, it’s likely that we’re still fascinated by some of the aerodynamic studies behind them. But a full-sized wind tunnel is …read more Continue reading See Aerodynamics in Action with a Desktop Wind Tunnel
You’ve heard of wind tunnels– get some airflow going over a thingy, put some some smoke on, and voila! Flow visualization. How hard could it be? Well, as always, the …read more Continue reading Optimizing a Desktop, 3D Printed Wind Tunnel
If you have a fear of heights and find yourself falling out of an airplane, you probably don’t want to look up to find your parachute full of holes. However, …read more Continue reading Holy Parachute out of Kirigami
Picture a football (soccer ball) in your head and you probably see the cartoon ideal—a roughly spherical shape made with polygonal patches that are sewn together, usually in a familiar …read more Continue reading Too Smooth: Football and the “KnuckleBall” Problem
Birds have long been our inspiration for flight, and researchers at Princeton University have found a new trick in their arsenal: covert feathers. These small feathers on top of birds’ …read more Continue reading Small Feathers, Big Effects: Reducing Stall Speeds With Strips Of Plastic
UK-based R&D shop White Motorcycle Concepts (WMC) punched a gaping hole in a Zero SR/S electric motorcycle to reduce aerodynamic drag by 10%. The prototype now goes faster, and can deliver extended range at highway speeds – proving this method can serv… Continue reading Zero Motorcycles adopts radical ‘Big Hole’ technology to boost range
Ever wonder how effectively your model cars would slice through the air if they were full-scale functional automobiles? Well, a little something known as the Windsible could tell ya (sort of), as it’s touted as being the world’s first consumer desktop … Continue reading Desktop wind tunnel runs aerodynamic tests at small scale
The world of experimental self-built aircraft is full of oddities, but perhaps the most eye-catching of all is the JD-2 “Dyke Delta” designed and built by [John Dyke] in the …read more Continue reading The Dyke Delta: A DIY Flying Wing Fits Four
A futuristic-looking electric vehicle that was launched by a Californian startup way back in 2007 is finally on the road to production. Following a year-long crowdfunding effort, the first 2,000 Aptera Launch Edition solar EV production slots have now … Continue reading First 2,000 Aptera solar EV Launch Edition production slots claimed
Hyundai has developed a new active aerodynamics system for electric vehicles, in the form of “active air skirts” ahead of the front wheels that can increase downforce and stability, while reducing drag and improving highway range.Continue ReadingCatego… Continue reading Hyundai’s “Active Air Skirts” reduce highway drag by 2.8%