Whether you're looking to learn the basics of what drones are or if there's any difference between the terms drone, UAV, or quadcopter, this video is the perfect place to start.
If you're looking to buy a drone instead, you can check my top cheap drones sorted by price.
A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be remotely controlled or operated autonomously through pre-programmed flight plans. Drones come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny drones that fit in the palm of your hand to large military drones capable of carrying heavy payloads.
You can use them for various tasks, such as photography and videography, surveillance, delivery, search and rescue operations, and even scientific research. Cool!
Yes, a drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). UAVs fly without a pilot, controlled remotely or by computer programs.
Other names for the familiar drone include RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) or SUAS (Small Unmanned Aircraft system).
UAS, or Unmanned Aerial System, combines an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with additional components and payloads.
Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used when you need something to fly without a human at the helm. UAVs are like remote-controlled planes—they can be directed from the ground or pre-programmed for their mission.
On the other hand, UASs use that same UAV but also have additional components, like sensors or tools, to carry out specific objectives like surveillance or firefighting. In short, UAVs are just for flying, while UASs have extra capabilities!
There are several synonyms for the term "drone," including UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), remotely piloted aircraft, robotic plane, and unmanned flying vehicle. In addition, they can also be referred to as unmanned aerial systems or remotely operated aircraft. No one-word synonyms, though!
In this section, I'm going over the main drone terms you might stumble upon and what you need to know to be a successful pilot. In addition, this list will include some FAA terminology necessary for any test anywhere in the world.
After this section, we'll go more in-depth about some of the terms on this list, including drone acronyms. While doing this, I'll also try to help you pick the best drone for your money.
While there are many terms associated with drone technology, knowing the essential drone vocabulary is key to understanding the basics of how drones work. With this knowledge, you can purchase or fix your drone with confidence and stay ahead of the average person who has just entered the drone world. What other popular technology items would you like to see a list of essential terms for?
A drone can look very different depending on how many motors it has, whether it has a camera or not, how big it is, etc.
We'll also go a bit into what the new app features of the Mini 2 are and how you can use them.
There's a recent trend in consumer drones that started with the DJI Mavic lineup of drones that are called foldable drones, and they're very popular thanks to their portability.
First of all, there are mini drones that are small in size, made for indoor and beginners mainly. They can be considered toy drones, but some can be quite advanced, despite their size. A drone that's small in size is the Mavic Mini which also is a great camera drone with a fantastic camera... so size is no longer such an important factor.
Hobby drones are mid-sized drones popular among beginner hobbyists who want to take flying a drone more seriously. These types of multicopters are ideal for those with experience handling drones. Many hobby drones come with cameras or have mechanisms for camera attachments.
One of the most unique ways to use a drone to complement another hobby is by rigging up a fishing drone (more straightforward than you might think).
These are usually under $200 or so, and although much progress has been made, they're still not on the professional level required for making money with them.
Professional drones are high-end aircraft with four or more propellers or rotors. Many of these drones are used for professional aerial photography and videography. As such, they already have built-in high-definition cameras. They often have a better range and longer flight times.
These drones come with impeccable 3-axis stabilization gimbals, brushless motors and automatic flight modes. The barrier of "entry-level" has lowered substantially in the past years. Now, you can get one for around $500. But of course there are advantages of paying more for one.
Racing drones are relatively smaller types of quadcopters. These are built to be faster and more agile than the typical hobby or professional drone. They also include a built-in camera that provides first-person view video feeds that provide a cockpit view as the craft flies through courses and obstacles.
Now, let's take a look at some of the terms and questions people have about drones, like what's the difference between a drone and a quadcopter?
People tend to confuse these two because most drones out there are quadcopters. The difference between a drone and a quadcopter is that the quadcopter HAS to have 4 motors. In contrast, "drone" refers mainly to any category of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, even if it has 3, 4, 6 or however many motors.
If we talk about standard motorized drones like quadcopters that you can frequently find in the sky (ex DJI), then you need to know that it is propelled by fast spinning rotors that push air under the drone and lift it up.
You require a pilot to fly the drone and control it through a transmitter that sends the signals to a mainboard, which controls each motor's speed.
For example, if the motors in front spin slower than the ones in the back, the quadcopter(in this case) tilts forward and, therefore, advances forward.
The more a drone is tilted, the less power is used for helping it stay in the air and the more it is used for propelling it forward (or laterally).
Certain drones come with a camera that can livestream video directly on a controller screen or even your smartphone.
I know I talked about things like Brushless motors and 3-axis what? There's the glossary with the terms in the description, but let's go over them quickly.
Brushless motors are superior to Brushed motors in every way but are also more expensive.
Brushes inside electric motors are used to deliver current to the motor; brushless motors don't have these commutators. Unfortunately, this means that the Brushed motors are in perpetual physical contact with the shaft and brushes, and they wear out. This also makes them noisier.
You can usually find brushed motors in cheaper beginner drones, under $100, while brushless motors are found in more expensive drones.
Gimbals are usually found in professional camera drones and are a series of motors that help stabilize the camera, independent of how the drone moves or vibrates. This is what creates those silky-smooth videos you see on youtube.
A 3 axis gimbal has 3 motors that stabilize the image in all the 3 axis; a 2 axis gimbal doesn't usually have side stabilization and tends to be slightly cheaper.
Because this is quite a sophisticated system, they're not that cheap, so expect to add at least $100 to $200 to the drone price if it has one of these (especially good ones).
Electronic image stabilization is an alternative or addition to the 3 axis gimbal stabilization and means that the image is stabilized through software inside the drone. This is usually a compromise, as it has to cut down from the final image size, to compensate for all the movement.
Although EIS has made colossal progress lately, nothing can compare with a good 3 axis gimbal.
Another term used more recently is obstacle avoidance system, thanks to the largest drone manufacturing company, DJI.
They have included cameras on their drones to provide alerts for objects in proximity and even calculate a new trajectory for the drone.
Drones usually have these either in front of them or, lately in the back, sides, up and down.
The term Ready To Fly mainly comes from hobby drone enthusiasts and makes a difference in how a drone can be bought from the store.
You can get it fully functional from the box, like most commercial drones (DJI, for example)
A type of battery technology that is favored by many drone manufacturers because of its lightweight and high-capacity charging. While it is generally safe, LiPo's can burst in flames when overcharged or the polymer case is broken.
I tried to cover the most critical aspects of a drone as much as possible, but there's only as much as I can cover in a video. If you want to check out dozens of terms that will make you understand things better, check the description.
You'll learn what things like throttle, jello and Geofencing are and much more.
There is a wide range of drones and flight distances depending on price, transmission technology, etc.
A drone can fly anywhere between 50m to 10km or more. I have made a list of my top long-range drones this year and more about the range and what you should know about it.
Keep in mind that you should follow drone regulations in your country, which usually means flying in line of sight.
Drone terms are essential because they help us understand the capabilities and risks associated with drone technology. Drones can be incredibly powerful tools, but if we don't understand the terms used to describe them, we can find ourselves in dangerous territory. With a better grasp of these keywords, we can make wiser decisions when using drones for our benefit—whether that's for fun, work or something else entirely. Plus, it's just plain cool to know your stuff!
To sum it all up, you don't have to feel lost in the dark when it comes to drones and the terminology associated with them. With this article's breakdown of the many terms used for drones, you can rest assured that you won't be flying blind anymore! So now go out there and show off your new drone wisdom.
