At 15:57 07 February 2018, Soartech wrote:
Interesting research!
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-02/hjap-
uss020618.php

3M corporation has patents on several of these concepts. They own
the patent on V shaped grooves in the surface which was also
derived from shark skin research. I have a cousin who has worked
in the 3M thin film research department. There are a number of
these drag reduction applications that should work in theory. The
kicker is the adhesive used to bond these applications to surfaces.
To my knowledge, 3M has been sitting on these patents for quite a
number of years awaiting an adhesive that will withstand the
extreme temperature and friction variations to be able to safely
apply these types of films across a broad enough spectrum of
aircraft to make production economically viable. If 3M doesn't
have the right adhesives, then I don't know who does.. There is
also the problem of keeping these micro sized things clean and
undamaged by normal usage.

RO