Air is a drag. The very fluid that makes flight possible also pulls against airplanes, creating friction and resistance as they fly through the sky. With a buzz and a light blue electric glow, researchers are experimenting with plasma as a tool to manipulate air around airplane wings, reducing drag and saving on cost. Plus, the airplane wings would glow electric blue, which honestly feel like reason enough
As Steve Ashley reports for PBS Nova Next:
Here’s what that looks like on the side of a wing, and another demonstration on top of a wing.
The science of plasma for aerodynamics isn’t particularly new; the Soviet Union had a program studying it, and there’s been decades of international research on it since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
What’s changed is both the kinds of aircraft that might be able use it, and the power available. Plasma as a tool for directing airflow is particularly appealing on tiny electric-powered aircraft, like drones, where space is at a premium.
And for larger craft, because plasma draws on electrical power, improvements in batteries and electrical power for airplanes means adding plasma actuators to wings could make sense, especially if they also lower fuel costs.
Read the full story at PBS.