An uncrewed vehicle that operates without an onboard pilot, controlled either by a human operator via radio link or by onboard autonomous navigation systems. While popular culture uses the term almost exclusively for multirotor aerial vehicles, the robotics industry applies it broadly to uncrewed surface vessels, underwater vehicles, and sometimes ground platforms.
Heard on the job
The survey team deployed a tethered drone to inspect the bridge footings before sending divers down.
Do not mix it up with
- AUV: A drone often implies remote human control, whereas an AUV is strictly autonomous.