UAV
Pilotless aerial vehicle
UAV is an abbreviation for unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly called a drone.
These aircraft fly without a human pilot aboard, controlled either remotely or by onboard computers.
UAVs range from small consumer quadcopters used for photography to large military aircraft used for surveillance and strikes.
The military deployed UAVs for reconnaissance over hostile territory.
The term is more formal than drone and appears frequently in regulatory, technical, and military contexts.
Unmanned flying machine
- quadcopterFour-rotor aerial vehicle
- hexacopterSix-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle
- octocopterEight-propeller aerial vehicle
- multirotorAircraft with multiple spinning blades
fixed-wing · rotorcraft · VTOL · glider · airframe · propeller · fuselage · wingspan
Information-gathering before action
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- strikeForceful impact or stoppage
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- tacticalStrategically planned
stealth · targeting · precision · intelligence · deployment · mission · armed · bomber
Wireless device operator
- joystickTilting lever for control
- transmitterSignal-emitting device
- controllerDevice directing a system
- flight controlAircraft maneuvering system
FPV · ground station · telemetry · navigation · GPS · waypoint · throttle · yaw
Self-directed and free
- artificial intelligenceMachines mimicking human thought
- machine learningAlgorithms that improve from data
- swarmMass of moving insects
- decision-makingProcess of choosing actions
algorithm · neural network · computer vision · tracking · mission planning · collision avoidance · adaptive
U.S. flight safety agency
- airspaceRegulated overhead flight zone
- registrationFormal recording of participation
- certificationAttestation of qualification
- no-fly zoneBanned flight region
restricted · license · compliance · privacy · safety · waiver · commercial license · recreational
Image capturing device
- radarRadio-wave object detection
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- thermal imagingDetecting objects by warmth
- multispectralSpanning several wavelength ranges
hyperspectral · photogrammetry · gimbal · accelerometer · barometer · magnetometer · ultrasonic · computer vision
Creating images from light
- videographyArt of recording footage
- mappingDiagram of correspondences
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
- surveyingMeasuring and charting terrain
agriculture · delivery · search and rescue · wildlife monitoring · infrastructure · real estate · filmmaking · journalism
drone
Unmanned flying machine
- quadcopterFour-rotor aerial vehicle
- hexacopterSix-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle
- octocopterEight-propeller aerial vehicle
multirotor · fixed-wing · rotorcraft · VTOL · glider · airframe · propeller · fuselage · wingspan · payload
reconnaissance
Information-gathering before action
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- strikeForceful impact or stoppage
- combatArmed hostile engagement
tactical · stealth · targeting · precision · intelligence · deployment · mission · armed · bomber · Predator
remote control
Wireless device operator
- joystickTilting lever for control
- transmitterSignal-emitting device
- controllerDevice directing a system
flight control · FPV · ground station · telemetry · navigation · GPS · waypoint · throttle · yaw · pitch
autonomous
Self-directed and free
- artificial intelligenceMachines mimicking human thought
- machine learningAlgorithms that improve from data
- swarmMass of moving insects
decision-making · algorithm · neural network · computer vision · tracking · mission planning · collision avoidance · adaptive
FAA
U.S. flight safety agency
- airspaceRegulated overhead flight zone
- registrationFormal recording of participation
- certificationAttestation of qualification
no-fly zone · restricted · license · compliance · privacy · safety · waiver · commercial license · recreational
camera
Image capturing device
- radarRadio-wave object detection
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- thermal imagingDetecting objects by warmth
multispectral · hyperspectral · photogrammetry · gimbal · accelerometer · barometer · magnetometer · ultrasonic · computer vision · image processing
photography
Creating images from light
- videographyArt of recording footage
- mappingDiagram of correspondences
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
surveying · agriculture · delivery · search and rescue · wildlife monitoring · infrastructure · real estate · filmmaking · journalism · conservation
- military equipmenttanks, assault rifle, missiles, grenade, submarines
- aircraft typesseaplane, Boeing 737, floatplane, fighter jets, bush plane
- Military AcronymsAWOL, MIA, KIA, POW, NCO
- Aerial Reconnaissancespy plane, spy planes, U-2, SR-71, reconnaissance flight
- dronesquadcopter, drone operator, camera drone, hexacopter, toy drone
- Reconnaissancerecon, scouting, recce, observation, recon team
UAVfighter jet
Armed military aircraft
passenger aircraft · airliner · transport plane · bomber · helicopter