Drone - unmanned aerial vehicle!

January 29, 2025

Drones , sometimes called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are designed to perform tasks and reach places that are dangerous to human life or physically inaccessible to humans. This is where drones are used. Whether it's to survey the perimeter during a disaster or to capture the beautiful nature of various peaks and mountains.

These robotic drones operate without a pilot on board and with varying levels of autonomy. The level of autonomy of a drone can range from remote pilot (a human controls its movements with a remote control) to extended autonomy, which means it relies on a system of sensors and LIDAR detectors to calculate its movements.

What capabilities do drones have?

Different drones can fly at different altitudes and distances. Very close-range drones typically have a range of three miles.

Short-range drones have a range of 30 miles.

Short-range drones fly up to 90 miles and are used primarily for espionage and intelligence gathering.

Medium-range drones have a range of 400 miles and can be used for intelligence gathering, scientific research, and meteorological studies.

Drones that can fly the longest distances are called endurance drones and are capable of covering a range of 400 miles and climbing to 3,000 feet in the air.

Types of drones

Single-rotor drone:

Single-rotor drones look exactly like small helicopters and can run on gas or electricity. Their ability to run on gas helps them stay stable and fly longer distances. These unmanned aerial vehicles are typically used to transport heavy objects, including LIDAR systems that can be used in land, storm, and other surveying applications.

Multi-rotor drones

Multi-rotor drones are typically the smallest and lightest drones on the market. They have limited range, speed, and altitude, but make the perfect flying machine for enthusiasts and aerial photographers. These drones can typically stay in the air for 20-30 minutes while carrying a light payload, such as a camera.

Fixed Wing Drones

Fixed-wing drones are similar to conventional aircraft, with wings instead of rotors, making them very efficient. These drones typically use fuel instead of electricity, allowing them to stay in the air for more than 16 hours. Because these drones are typically much larger, and because of their design, they must take off and land on runways, just like airplanes. Fixed-wing drones are used by the military to carry out strikes, by scientists to transport large amounts of equipment, and by non-profit organizations to deliver food and other goods to hard-to-reach areas.

Popular models