Drones Offer Journalists a Wider View

Re:Drones Offer Journalists a Wider View by cynwoody on Monday November 25, 2013 @04:14PM (#6797068)

So, what attributes does an aircraft require in order to deserve to be called a drone?

Is it the degree of remoteness of control? E.g., ability to be operated reliably beyond the visual range of its operator? Or the ability to operate autonomously or semi-autonomously?

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Re:Drones Offer Journalists a Wider View by clarkmoody on Monday November 25, 2013 @05:55PM (#6797696)

Well, as an aerospace engineer, I don't think any vehicle should be called a drone. Unmanned [Combat] Aerial Vehicle is a better term, or even Remotely Piloted Vehicle.

But if we must use the label, let's say that a 'drone' meets one of the following:

  * Has weapons
  * Operates autonomously
  * Operates over the horizon
  * Requires runway facilities -- large remotely-piloted aircraft

Everything else is just RC, including the quadrotors in the article.

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