Just curious if a yo-yo has been made with not only playability but aerodynamics in mind as well? Thinking about speed and performance why wouldn’t you want it aerodynamic to cut through the air, which would reduce wind resistance and increase length of play. That’s my thought anyway.
Or do you know of a yo-yo that would be the best design for this?
Something that could win in competition play.
2 Likes
probably all yoyos that have sharp V shape design
1 Like
I find h shape yoyo’s like the yomega glide or yyfr vulture to be aerodynamic, they are able to glide through the air to the point you can tell the difference between other shaped yoyos
As far as competition yoyo’s go I would take the new speedaholic hybrid yoyo.
2 Likes
I imagine something with caps, a deep V and edges like the new aluminum Imperial. Almost an inverted Imperial with more of a V than organic
Would golf ball dimples increase aerodynamics?
According to science daily….
Would dimples on a car reduce drag?
Detailed studies of aerodynamics have shown that while a ball with a dimpled surface has half the drag of a smooth one at lower speeds, at higher speeds that advantage reverses.
2 Likes
Yes! But I still think caps would help too.
1 Like
I don’t think we are whipping our yo-yos through the air fast enough to need to factor air resistance. It’s there but I imagine it’s bc a negligible aspect.
2 Likes
What’s is the worlds least floaty yo-yo?
2 Likes
Yeah you win… dang 
1 Like
The no-jive floated in the bay in SF once…. More than I can say for other floaty yoyos
6 Likes
My theory is speed equals longer spin. Just a guess but if we are looking for the longest spin for longer combos why wouldn’t we look into this? Combined with bimetal design it could change competition play. @yyfben2.deactivated what are your thoughts? You probably have the most experience with designing yo-yos on the forum.
Correction…
Earlier I commented that the dimples may reduce skin friction drag. That was in error.
The overall shape makes no difference as far as aerodynamic drag goes. There is no blunt/flat surface facing any airflow to cause any kind of form drag. All of the flow is along and parallel to any surface. The only possible aerodynamic drag would be skin friction drag and this would be negligible in any event.
I’d not heard anything of the speed effect.
Dimples cause turbulence allowing air to flow more smoothly around a ball’s surface, which decreases the wake and low-pressure area behind the ball, resulting in less form drag. It can also improve the lift on the ball.
The dimples have little to no effect on skin friction drag. They are primarily to reduce form drag by reducing the wake and the low pressure area behind the ball. As a spinning yoyo has no wake, dimples have little to no effect on the drag. Thus the claims about the Roo-Yo SV aerodynamics are marketing hype.
1 Like
When it is moving through air there is drag. Might be minor enough that it isn’t noticeable but if you could measure the speed the yo-yo is traveling (think of that dude that always goes “Godspeed!”) or possibly faster. In that case drag may make a difference and that’s what I’m curious about. For a competitor spin really matters. It’s the difference between having to regen or not which translates to more time for tricks.
1 Like
As noted the only drag would be skin friction and it would be negligible regardless of the shape of the yoyo as long as there are no protuberances to cause form drag. All flow is along and parallel to the surface. Most all of the effects of friction on a spinning yoyo are confined to the bearing/string interaction.
2 Likes
Yeah, at one time I couldn’t spell aeronautical engineer, now I are one (retired)… 
3 Likes