A drone, also known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is an autonomous or remotely controlled aircraft that does not require a pilot to directly operate it.
Drones were first used for military purposes, but are now widely used in photography, logistics, agriculture and forestry, surveying and mapping, rescue and other fields. Drones can be controlled by remote controls, mobile phone applications or preset programs, and are usually equipped with devices such as cameras, sensors and GPS.
What is the basic structure of a drone?
A drone consists of several major parts, namely the flight control system, power system, drone payload (camera and sensors), communication system and frame structure. These drone components determine the drone's flight, photography and communication in the air, etc.
Flight control system: The "control brain" of the drone, including the flight control board, sensors and GPS, which are used to manage the flight altitude, speed and positioning.
Power system: including batteries, motors and propellers, is the core power source for drone flight.
Cameras and sensors: used to take high-definition photos and videos, or conduct environmental detection and data collection.
Communication system: Drones usually communicate with the operator through remote controls or mobile devices to transmit video and data in real time.
Frame structure: The frame and shell structure of the drone are usually made of light and strong materials such as carbon fiber or plastic.
In the entire spare parts composition of the drone, the drone frame or chassis, drone arms, motors, drone propellers, batteries, flight control boards, sensors, cameras, gimbals, variable speed drives or speed controllers, drone control stations, landing gear, and additional components can all be purchased separately for DIY assembly. If you are a DIY drone enthusiast, it is strongly recommended that you take a look at the How to DIY a Drone Operation Guide.
What are the types of drones?
Drone types can be divided according to drone attributes and the population served by drones.
Drone attributes
Multi-Rotor Drones: Multi-rotor drones are commonly found in tri-rotor aircraft (3 rotors), quadcopters (4 rotors), hexacopters (6 rotors), and octocopters (8 rotors). So far, quadcopters are the most popular multi-rotor drones, suitable for drone beginners and professional drone users, and are relatively stable in the air.
Fixed-Wing Drones: Fixed-wing drones are similar in appearance to civil aircraft. They need to be lifted off by a runway and can fly for a long time in the air.
Single-Rotor Drones: Single-rotor drones are durable. Single-rotor drones have only one rotor and look similar to helicopters. They are suitable for model aircraft learning, aerial missions, etc.
Fixed-Wing Hybrid VTOL: Hybrid vertical take-off and landing drones combine the advantages of fixed-wing and rotor designs. Hybrid vertical take-off and landing drones can hover and take off and land vertically. Such as Amazon's Prime Air delivery drone.
Drone service population
Consumer drones: For individual users, mainly used for taking photos and videos, such as DJI Mavic series, Autel EVO Nano & Lite series.
Commercial drones: Used for photography, public safety, energy industry, mining, logistics, agriculture, forestry and surveying, such as movie aerial drones, thermal imaging drones, agricultural spraying drones, surveying drones, etc.
Military drones: Used for reconnaissance, surveillance and combat, with higher flight altitudes and stronger concealment.
What are the main applications of drones?
Aerial photography and photography: Drones are widely used for filming movies, advertising, real estate drone photography, wedding drone photography, and personal photography, providing a unique aerial perspective to create stunning images and videos.
Logistics and transportation: Some e-commerce giants and transportation industry leaders have begun drone delivery trials for the rapid transportation of small packages and emergency medicine transportation.
Agriculture and forestry: Drones are used for agricultural spraying of pesticides, monitoring crop health, and forest protection.
Mapping and exploration: The high-altitude perspective of drones helps with topographic mapping and geological exploration of engineering projects, usually in urban construction, mountain and forest mapping, etc.
Rescue and disaster response: Drones are used for search and rescue in disaster areas, emergency firefighting, providing real-time monitoring, and helping to identify the location of trapped people.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of drones?
Advantages:
Flexible operation, can enter areas that are difficult to reach by manpower.
Provide high-definition images, rapid mapping and monitoring.
Save labor costs and improve work efficiency.
Disadvantages:
Affected by weather conditions, strong winds and heavy rains may cause operation out of control.
Limited battery life affects long-term flight. Privacy issues and airspace management issues need to comply with laws and regulations.
In general, drones have gradually become an important tool in many industries due to their efficiency and flexibility.
