An
Aerobie is a flying ring used in a manner similar to a flying disc (Frisbee), for recreational catches between two or more individuals. The Aerobie is a ring, rather than a disc. An Aerobie is also lighter, and is more stable in flight. It features tuning for straighter flight by bending the ring. Since it has very low
dragIn fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces that oppose the relative motion of an object through a fluid . Drag forces act in a direction opposite to the oncoming flow velocity...
and good stability, it can be thrown much farther than a flying disc can.
An
Aerobie is a flying ring used in a manner similar to a flying disc (Frisbee), for recreational catches between two or more individuals. The Aerobie is a ring, rather than a disc. An Aerobie is also lighter, and is more stable in flight. It features tuning for straighter flight by bending the ring. Since it has very low
dragIn fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces that oppose the relative motion of an object through a fluid . Drag forces act in a direction opposite to the oncoming flow velocity...
and good stability, it can be thrown much farther than a flying disc can. The ring is only about 1/8 of an inch (3 mm) thick.
Designed in 1984 by Stanford
engineeringEngineering is the discipline, art and profession of acquiring and applying technical, scientific and mathematical knowledge to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely realize a desired objective or inventions.The American Engineers' Council...
lecturer
Alan AdlerAlan Adler is an American inventor. He specializes in flying toys, such as footballs with fins and flying rings and discs, such as the Aerobie. His Aerobie Pro flying ring holds the world record for the farthest thrown object...
, the Aerobie has a
polycarbonatePolycarbonates are a particular group of thermoplastic polymers. They are easily worked, moulded, and thermoformed; as such, these plastics are very widely used in the modern chemical industry. Their interesting features position them between commodity plastics and engineering plastics...
core with soft
rubberNatural rubber is an elastomer that was originally derived from a milky colloidal suspension, or latex, found in the sap of some plants. The purified form of natural rubber is the chemical polyisoprene, which can also be produced synthetically...
bumpers molded onto the inner and outer rims. The outer rim has a spoiler designed to impart stability.
History
In the 1970s,
Alan AdlerAlan Adler is an American inventor. He specializes in flying toys, such as footballs with fins and flying rings and discs, such as the Aerobie. His Aerobie Pro flying ring holds the world record for the farthest thrown object...
began attempting to improve the flying disc, considering its
design characteristicsA flying disc can fly through the air because of its shape, weight, initial direction of throw, and spin. The successful flight of a particular disc is determined by these variables as well as others such as deformation.-Suitability of a disc:...
. He tried streamlining the shape to reduce drag, but this resulted in a disc that was more unstable in flight. Eventually, he turned his attention to the ring shape. This led to the development of the predecessor of the Aerobie, which was called the "Skyro." About a million of this model were sold. In 1980, it was used to set a Guiness World Record throw of 261 meters. It lacked the spoiler rim of the Aerobie. It had low drag, but was only stable at a certain speed. The later introduction of the spoiler, which balanced the
liftA fluid flowing past the surface of a body exerts a force on it. Lift is defined to be the component of this force that is perpendicular to the oncoming flow direction. It contrasts with the drag force, which is defined to be the component of the fluid-dynamic force parallel to the flow...
, made the ring stable "over a wide range of speeds." After testing several models, the ideal shape was found, and the Aerobie was produced. Adler founded Superflight, Inc. in 1984 (now known as Aerobie, Inc.) Since then, Adler and the company have produced 12 other sport toy products.
Characteristics
The Aerobie allows for throws over unusually long distances. It flies faster and farther than a common
flying discFlying discs are disc-shaped objects, which are generally plastic and roughly 20 to 25 centimeters in diameter, with a lip. The shape of the disc, an airfoil in cross-section, allows it to fly by generating lift as it moves through the air while rotating...
does. When well tuned, it can fly basically in a straight line, "like a puck on an invisible sheet of ice." It does not have the tendency to roll when thrown level, as a flying disc does. But similarly to a disc, an Aerobie can be thrown in a curved path by throwing it in a slant. Its lift depends on its speed relative to the air. Therefore, throwing into the wind makes it fly higher. Throwing with the wind makes it fly lower.
Advantages
The Aerobie's ring shape allows it to be caught in a variety of different ways. For example, it can be caught by thrusting a forearm, the head (when the ring is thrown high), or even a foot through the middle. Games such as "Aerosticks" and Aerogoal are designed specifically for the Aerobie.
Disadvantages, special care
An Aerobie ring does not float. The ring can be damaged if abused. A thrower must take care not to throw too hard when throwing to a partner. However, it will slow down if thrown at a high angle. It can be easier to lose than a flying disc, especially over long distances. In particular, it gets caught on tree branches more easily.
The Aerobie is best thrown in a wide open area such as a football or soccer field, away from bodies of water. There should also be adequate light. This also prevents running into objects while chasing it.
World Records
The 13 inch (33 cm) Aerobie Pro was used to achieve the current Guinness World Record for the "longest throw of an object without any
velocity-aidingThrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newton's second and third laws. When a system expels or accelerates mass in one direction the accelerated mass will cause a proportional but opposite force on that system.-Examples:...
feature". The Aerobie's record was originally set in 1986 by Scott Zimmerman (1,257 feet or 383.1 meters) and then broken in 2003 in San Francisco by Erin Hemmings. The 2003 record throw traveled 1,333 feet (406.3 metres), and the Aerobie was airborne for 30 seconds.
The 2003 record was broken by a boomerang toss measured at 1,401.5 feet (427.2 metres) by David Schummy on March 15, 2005 at Murrarie Recreation Ground,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
.
Other Aerobie products
- Aerobie Orbiter: a triangular boomerang
A boomerang is a curved piece of wood used as a weapon and for sport. Boomerangs come in many shapes and sizes depending on their geographic or tribal origins and intended function. The most recognizable type is the returning boomerang, which is a throwing stick that travels in a elliptical path...
- Disc golf
Disc golf is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Disc golf is inexpensive...
discs
- Aerobie Sprint ring and Aerobie Superdisc (smaller models)
- Superdisc Ultra (larger model)
- Skylighter (lighted Superdisc Ultra)
- Dogobie disc; designed for dogs to catch
- Aerobie and Rocket footballs, with fins
- AeroSpin Yo-yo
- Squidgie Disc and Squidgie Ball: flexible toys that float
- AeroPress
The AeroPress is a device for brewing coffee. It was invented in 2005 by Alan Adler. Coffee is steeped for about 10 seconds and then forced through a paper microfilter. The maker describes the result as an espresso strength concentration of coffee, but others consider it more like strong coffee...
coffee maker
- Megatop Spinning Top
External links
- Official website
- "Flight of the Frisbee", New Scientist
- Paper authored by the inventor Alan Adler, explaining the design considerations. by Alan Adler, filed May 10, 1984, issued December 24, 1985.
- Aerosticks Game
- Youtube Video Video of Aerobie products in action, including throwing one of the rings out of the Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, and the demonstration of the Aerobie Orbiter