drone


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drone

1
1. a male bee in a colony of social bees, whose sole function is to mate with the queen
2. a pilotless radio-controlled aircraft

drone

2
1. Music
a. a sustained bass note or chord of unvarying pitch accompanying a melody
b. (as modifier): a drone bass
2. Music one of the single-reed pipes in a set of bagpipes, used for accompanying the melody played on the chanter
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

drone

[drōn]
(aerospace engineering)
A pilotless aircraft usually subordinated to the controlling influences of a remotely located command station, but occasionally preprogrammed.
(invertebrate zoology)
A haploid male bee or ant; one of the three castes in a colony.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

drone

i. An aerial vehicle that is remotely or automatically controlled. Normally used as a decoy to confuse enemy radars. Also used as a target or tow vehicle for tow bodies that are meant to be used as targets.
ii. The low, monotonous, humming sound of aircraft engines heard from a distance.
An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

gremlin drone

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used in the military that is launched from an airplane rather than from the ground. Gremlin drones are designed to provide advance intelligence that is immediately sent back to fighter planes en route. The objective is to target the enemy's initial land defenses more accurately and open a clear path to the destination target. See UAV and gremlin.

insect drone

A tiny unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a wingspan of a couple centimeters. Used for both clandestine military operations as well as entertainment, the insect drone does not have the travel or video recording time of larger drones. See UAV and personal drone.


An Insect Swarm
A swarm of 20 insect drones are flying in formation at the University of Pennsylvania's GRASP Lab (General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception). (Image courtesy of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania)

personal drone

A small unmanned flying vehicle that is used for entertainment or to take photos or videos from an aerial perspective. Remotely controlled and battery driven, a personal drone's flight duration is measured in minutes. Using at least three propellers, although four are generally the norm (see quadcopter), personal drones operate like a tiny helicopter and lift straight up off the ground. See UAV, insect drone and selfie drone.


Optional GoPro Camera Access
Introduced in 2015, 3DR's Solo drone was designed to access the GoPro's controls remotely and stream live from the camera. A simulated "virtual cable" can be set up between two points that allows the user to pan and tilt the GoPro on a safe flight plan. (Image courtesy of 3DR, www.3drobotics.com)







Tethered to the Ground
With wireless drones, range and connectivity limitations are problems. CyPhy Works' Pocket Flyer is wired to the ground station controller via a 250-foot, ultra-thin microfilament. Tethering provides unlimited flight time and smooth HD video. (Image courtesy of CyPhy Works Inc., www.cyphyworks.com)







Just for Fun
Small "micro" drones such as the QUARK from Rooftop Brands are designed for entertainment. The unit is charged via USB, but the remote control uses two AAA batteries.







Wrist-Worn
The Nixie wraps around the wrist until it is let loose to follow and record the user's adventures. (Image courtesy of Nixie Labs, Inc., www.flynixie.com)

selfie drone

A small, unmanned flying vehicle used to take photos or videos from an aerial perspective. Using at least three propellers and typically less than two feet in diameter, a selfie drone is remote controlled. See selfie, personal drone and UAV.


The Lily Drone Follows You
Introduced in 2015, the three-pound waterproof Lily drone is literally tossed into the air. Flying from five to 50 feet above the person, who wears a tracking device, its battery lasts for about 20 minutes. (Images courtesy of Lily Robotics, www.lily.camera)

UAV

(Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) A remotely controlled airplane without a human pilot. Mostly known as a "drone," they are also called an "unmanned aircraft system" (UAS) and "remotely piloted vehicle" (RPV). Used for surveillance and transport in both military and non-military applications, they date back to the early 1900s. UAVs provided meaningful assistance on the battlefield in World War II.

In the 21st century, small "quadcopter" drones have become widely used for aerial photography and just plain fun. They have become so popular that government regulations and licensing are expected in order to prevent collisions. See quadcopter, personal drone, insect drone, selfie drone, gremlin drone and electronic warfare.


Military and Industrial UAVs
In the summer of 2005, there was a day long demonstration of military and industrial UAVs at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in St. Inigoes, Maryland. The picture was taken by Photographers Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain.
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