Patent ID: 8091950

Claim:
A drag reducing apparatus for a ground vehicle comprising: at least one plasma generating device configured to be coupled to a trailing edge of the ground vehicle, wherein the trailing edge of the ground vehicle includes a surface having a first substantially planer portion separated from a second substantially planer portion by a corner, and wherein the surface is subjected to a fluid flow when the ground vehicle is in motion, the plasma generating device comprising: a dielectric, a first electrode exposed to the fluid flow, a second electrode separated from the fluid flow by the dielectric, and a power supply electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes such that energization of the power supply causes the at least one plasma generating device to generate a plasma between the first and second electrodes, the plasma inducing a velocity component in a downstream direction of the fluid flow, to move a separation point of the fluid flow along the corner towards the second portion, thus reducing a drag force generated by the fluid flow over the surface of the ground vehicle.