The purpose of winglets on an aircraft's wings is to ¹ ² ³ ⁴:
- *Reduce drag*: Winglets are designed to reduce drag by weakening the wingtip vortices, which are created by the difference in air pressure on the upper and lower surfaces of the wing.
- *Improve fuel efficiency*: By reducing drag, winglets can help improve fuel efficiency, leading to cost savings and reduced emissions.
- *Increase range*: Winglets can help increase an aircraft's range by reducing the energy lost to drag.
- *Improve performance*: Winglets can also help improve an aircraft's overall performance by reducing the impact of wingtip vortices on the wing's lift.
- *Reduce induced drag*: Winglets can help reduce induced drag, which is a component of drag that occurs when a wing produces lift.