Birds and insects have wings with rough leading edges to separate airflow, which assists counterintuitively with easier flight. Scientists have adapted to combat the issue of smaller drones being buffeted by air with a new design: “Separated Flow Airfoil”. Boundary air is the air directly in contact with the surface of the wing, and with larger aircrafts the turbulence keeps the flow attached to the wing, while with smaller aircrafts the boundary air tends to be smooth and laminar, often detaching and causing more drag. Researchers at Brown University have found that a wing design with a sharp leading edge is more aerodynamically effective for smaller drones than the smooth wing contour of aircrafts now. They tested via lift coefficient analysis, wind and water tunnel experiments, and flight power measurements. The new wing design could increase flight time from an average of 30min to an average of 170min.
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