drift angle

noun

Nautical.

1. the angle made by the path of a drifting vessel with its heading.

Word History and Origins

Origin of drift angle¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

In that case, the amount of antenna swing is also fed into the computer, which then cranks the drift angle into its computations.

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Working with direction, ground speed, drift angle and flight time from a known point of departure, the pilot's computer becomes an accurate navigator.

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