Parachute "spread angle"?

[strider3]

Does a parachute's "spread angle" have any effect on it's efficiency (drag)...or is that setting just "eye candy"?

[antipro]

Good question, imho it probably has no effects on the efficiency, not sure 100%.

edit: forget it, after a fast google search I've read that "spread angle matters".
https://imgur.com/a/NeFkE

Edited December 15, 2020 by antipro

[Superfluous J]

Weird.

I can see the ones that are all clipped together falling faster (less unique cross sectional area) but the ones that are all apart, I'd expect the ones that are more tilted to be fall faster, not less.

[antipro]

4 hours ago, Superfluous J said:

Weird.
I can see the ones that are all clipped together falling faster (less unique cross sectional area) but the ones that are all apart, I'd expect the ones that are more tilted to be fall faster, not less.

I've reproduced the 2 tests:
I see more the spread angle is low, more the vertical speed is high.
indeed it's weird.

Test 1 Video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/p6rj7hu1zhak9kt/chutes different angle.mkv?dl=0
Test 2 Video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bvb3qfd171r9p80/chutes 2 diff angle.mkv?dl=0




 

[strider3]

"Chutes 2" showed the most interesting point, I think. In the first video, you could argue that the chutes are "blocking" the air to other chutes and, therefore, reducing the effective drag. The "Chutes 2" video completely disproves that. Until further notice all chutes at 10 spread angle...LOL!