As velocity increases, what happens to parasite drag?

Parasite drag refers to the aerodynamic resistance that an aircraft experiences as it moves through the air, and it consists of form drag and skin friction. As the velocity of the aircraft increases, the airflow over the aircraft becomes more turbulent and energetic, contributing to an increase in the drag force acting on the structure.

The relationship between velocity and parasite drag is critical: parasite drag increases with the square of the velocity. This means that if the velocity doubles, the parasite drag increases by a factor of four. This relationship is attributed primarily to the increased dynamic pressure acting on the aircraft as speed rises, which impacts the force exerted by the air on the aircraft's surfaces.

Thus, as an aircraft’s speed increases, the amount of air resistance or drag that it encounters rises as well, establishing that parasite drag does indeed increase with velocity.