So what exactly is a drone?

Wow, a drone… Or not? Image credit: Fox Shows.

Drones received flak in the past for causing civilian deaths. Now, drones are seen in a more positive light, performing tasks such as deliveries, and light shows.

What we all agree on is that drones can refer to any type of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They can be controlled remotely or onboard via pre-programmed software. They can also bear cargo, such as cameras. But drones have become a catch-all phrase for all UAVs, and it’s really confusing. Knowing the definition of a drone affects how we perceive current regulations on “drones” and UAVs.

Here’s what a drone is and isn’t.

Two conditions of being a drone

To be even more exact on the definition of drones: a drone is “an unmanned aircraft or ship” with two conditions, according to [Dictionary.com]. They can (1) “navigate autonomously, without human control”, or (2) “beyond line of sight.”

An example of an autonomous flight mode is a pre-planned flight. Drones follow GPS waypoints to navigate without human intervention. Many drones also come equipped with the return-to-home feature which allows drones to fly back to the starting point and land.

Part two of the definition gets even more confusing. “Beyond line of sight” is the part most of us don’t even know about. Flying beyond our line of sight means that drones can perform independent and extended flights, unlocking a host of opportunities such as remote search and rescue operations.

Differentiating drones and UAVs

“Drones” can come in various forms and shapes, ranging from helicopters to airplanes. There are even octocopters – aircraft with eight rotors – which can do heavy lifting and flights at high speeds.

But with the above definition in mind, we know that not all UAVs are drones.

An octocopter “drone”. Video credit: Discovery Channel SEAsia

For example, radio-controlled (RC) airplanes are UAVs but aren’t drones. RC aircraft can lack features that allow for independent and extended flight, such as a GPS, and autonomous flight modes – one of the dictionary definitions of being a drone.

“The word drone now is misused. It’s now applied to any unpiloted aircraft. So aerial photography or racing machines are technically not drones, but UAVs. They don’t have the capability of autonomous flight,” explains Alvin Yeoh, secretary of the Multirotor Association of Singapore.

“A fully autonomous craft can complete a full mission you give it without any foreign input, such flying from point A to B and back again,” he says. “RC crafts have autonomous modes, but whether it’s a full-on drone, I think that’s debatable. They’re not always fully autonomous.”

Regulations for UAVs shouldn’t be same for drones