drone

A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that operates without a human onboard. Drones can be remotely piloted or autonomously guided by onboard computers using sensors, GPS, and computer vision. The term originated with “target drones” used for military practice and has since broadened to include a wide range of small to large aircraft for civil, commercial, and research purposes.

Typical components include the airframe, propulsion system (electric motors or engines), power source (batteries or fuel), a flight controller and navigation sensors, payload equipment (cameras, LiDAR, sensors), and the communications link to a ground control station. Drones are commonly categorized by propulsion and form: multirotor (such as quadcopters), fixed-wing, single-rotor, and hybrid designs. Size ranges from pocket-sized devices to large, sensor-rich platforms.

Uses span many sectors. In media, they enable aerial photography and videography; in industry, they perform surveying, mapping, and inspection of infrastructure; in agriculture, they assist crop monitoring; in emergency response, they aid search-and-rescue operations and disaster assessment; and in research and logistics, they support data collection and delivery trials.

Regulation focuses on safety, privacy, and airspace integration. In the United States, the FAA’s Part 107 governs small UAS operations, with licensing, registration, and restrictions on flying near people or in controlled airspace; many countries have similar frameworks and ongoing developments for beyond-visual-line-of-sight and cargo flights.