My hypothesis is that drag points are irrelevant in relation to the unit drag is measured in. This image probably explains it... Ish. Each point has a value of drag, and that value is too high I think.

i don't know about simpleplanes, but in real life it does. @jamesPLANESii

Woah. That actually works? :D @11qazxc

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_count
The drag coefficient is used to compare the solutions of different geometries by means of a dimensionless number.
A drag count is used as a more user-friendly measurement(bullshit) as the coefficient of drag is usually much less than 1. A drag count of 200 to 400 is typical for an airplane at cruise.
A reduction of one drag count on a subsonic civil transport airplane means about 200 lb (91 kg) more in payload.(not really)
/
@Starbound
v=83(m/s)
p=1.225(kg/m^3)
fd=6000(n)
Dcd=10^4×(2×fd/(p×(v^2)×a))
a=15.6088(m^2)
Dcd=911.00226
fd=0.5×p×(v^2)×cd×a
cd=0.0911002
/
in result:
velocity v=83 m/s
gas density p=1.225 kg/m^3
reference area a=15.6088 m^2
drag points 911.002
coefficient drag cd=0.0911002
drag force fd=6000 n

I think it’s to do with the physics updates per frame, and the frame rate is much higher in slow motion @Zanedavid

I also have so many of these types of questions too, like for instance why are the physics different in slow motion or fast forward? Or how accurate is the Collision damage? Etc

Yup @ChiChiWerx

Did a simple test with a jet plane with symmetrical airfoils, here's the results:

Drag points: 911
Thrust: 6000 N
Top speed reached at sea level (IAS): 83 m/s
Thrust power assuming constant thrust: 6000 * 86 = 498000 W = 498 kW

The thrust power should be equal to the work done by the incoming air,
but I have no idea how to use this number to arrive back at 911. Obviously this is as simple as it gets and there are a lot more variables in reality, so the answer is probably in that. The wing area and weight of the aircraft turn out to play a role as well even though their effects are not reflected in the number of drag points.

Arbitrary, completely arbitrary. Do you realize that since there’s no actual air in SP, just calculations which simulate the effects of a body or wing moving through air, that drag is produced by parts which are submerged into other parts or out of direct airflow behind other parts?

Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s Big Macs sold squared... but I could be wrong. @BaconAircraft

D r a g
R a c e

measured in units of number of fathoms times cubic square feet of agent orange dropped per iraqs invaded raised to the muzzle velocity of an AR-15 per vietnamese farmer in a cubic kilometer of a jungle per yards times big macs sold cubed... obviously.

In my experience it’s what @AstleyIndustries said. Cd, or coefficient of drag, tells us how the aircraft’s drag force varies with speed.
.
Edit: the drag coefficient is used in real life. I would imagine that drag points are a computational way of giving your flight model a drag coefficient of some sort.

its more of a measuring unit-less value , just match everything with the real thing , and adjust drag accordingly

nice photos. oh drag yeah

I imagine it acts like some kind of drag coefficient

I've had the same thing bugging me for a while. From testing many planes, that number should fall in the 2000-3000 range for realistic performance

they can be exchanged for bitcoin

Knowing the SP drag system it's probably in a unit like cobwebs per ancient scripture. I don't think number-matching to a drag value is feasible. I think your best bet for performance matching is to match the other characteristics like wing area, mass and thrust, then adjust drag scale experimentally to match characteristics like glide ratio or "top speed" (presuming this is limited by power and not structure).

big agree