UAV Full Form

UAV full form is Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. It is also known as a remotely controlled aircraft or unmanned aircraft system. UAVs are machines which run through a remote controlled by an individual. UAVs are mostly used by the military because they are capable of flying for long durations.

What is the Full Form of UAV?

As mentioned above the full form of UAV is Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. It is commonly used for drones which is an aircraft without any pilots. A drone is a robot in the air which is controlled using a remote. A drone has embedded and positioning systems and other sensors which help in getting information about its flying area, battery left and about surroundings. UAVs are mostly used by the military for regular monitoring and during operations held by the military. But now due to advancements in technology, drones are used by normal civilians also. UAV is also known as Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)

History of Drone

• The first unmanned vehicle was developed in USA and Britain during World War I
• A Radio-controlled aircraft was tested first time in the year 1917 
• Large production of drones was started after 1919
• In the year 2006, FAA issued a permit for drones in commercial use
• After 2006 military started using drone 

Areas in Which Drones Are Used

Earlier drones were used by the military but now they are used in multiple areas. Below are some categories in which drones are used:

• For search and resume operations
• For surveillance in accident places, enemies movement, etc
• Used by traffic police for monitoring the traffic
• Used by weather forecasters for monitoring weather
• Used during fire incidents to locate people 
• Used for personal use
• Used for delivery 
• Used for detailed and close examination 
• Used for photography
• Used for videography
• Used in the agriculture sector 

How Drones Work? 

Commonly drones have two functions: first is flight mode and second is navigation.

In order to fly a drone requires a power source i.e. battery. They are structured as light in weight and made up of composite material which boosts the performance of drones. To fly a drone controller is required which controls a complete drone with the help of a remote and through the remote he can make the drone fly, navigate, record, land and many more. Drones used by the military are enabled to catch radio waves which helps them to hear live.

Components of Drone

The drone consists of various small and big components which makes a drone a powerful weapon. Below are some important components of the drone:

• Electronic speed controller: It helps the controller to control the drone’s speed and direction as per need or requirement.
• Flight controller: The remote of the drone is considered as a flight controller which controls every function of the drone.
• GPS module: It updates drone location regularly in situations if it crashes through gps drone can be found 
• Battery: The battery is the source of power, as without a battery drone cant fly
• Antenna: It helps to catch signals 
• Receiver: Used for sending information to station or base
• Cameras: Used to record or capture pictures 
• Sensors: These include ultrasonic, collision sensors which help to alert the controller to prevent accidents.
• Accelerometer: It helps to monitor the speed 
• Altimeter: It helps to measure the altitude of the drone while flying 

Features of Drones

• It consists of multiple types of cameras which are capable of recording, capturing images, and high zooming.
• In Built Artificial Intelligence (AI) which makes drones follow the route 
• Multiple sensors for regular monitoring of drones such as battery remaining, obstacle nearby and more
• Ability to recognize suspicious objects
• High Storage capacity for storing high-quality videos and images
• Long flight time
• Aerodynamic design for fast flying 
• Hover capability
• High-altitude hover with stability 
• Live feed 
• Logs 

Different Types of Drones

Majorly there are two types of drones which are mentioned below:

1. Rotor: This type includes single and multi-rotor drones which include tricopters includes dynamic automation systems, quadcopters are generally used for personal use, hexacopters are used in agriculture sectors  and octocopters are used for lifting objects
2. Fixedwing: They include hybrid takeoff and landing as fixed-wing drones don't require much space to fly. 

How Does Drones Fly?

The applications of drones depend on a number of parts working together in order to complete various tasks under changing conditions and circumstances. While gyroscopes and vertical take-off and landing, written as VTOL capabilities make it easier to remotely control drones, GPS and LiDAR technology instill drones with a strong sense of direction and is responsible for sending direction signals. Therefore, it takes all of these pieces to create a functioning drone that has the capacity to scan its surroundings while enduring and going through a range of environments.

Different Manufacturers of Drone

There are multiple manufacturers which have developed drones. Below are some popular manufacturers and names of drones. They are divided into two categories personal and  commercial 

PersonalDrones

• Autel EVO II
• DJI FPV
• DJI Air 2S
• DJI Mavic 3
• Parrot Anafi
• PowerVision
• Ryze

CommercialDrones

• DJI
• Hubsan
• 3D Robotics
• Measure
• Parrot
• PrecisionHawk
• Yuneec

What is the Use of Drones in Commercial Areas?

Commercial sectors are frequently using drones for surveillance and delivery purposes. Drones have been used for search and rescue, disaster response, wildlife monitoring, healthcare, and agriculture. Below mentioned are some best examples of where the drone has been used for monitoring and coverage 

• Agriculturemonitoring: Drones are regularly used for measuring crop height through laser technology installed in drones. It helps farmers by optimising their production and promoting sustainable farming. Hexacopters drones are especially used in the agriculture sector.
• Biologicalmonitoring: The drones consist of sensors which are used to measure the quality of air and water. They are capable of checking the presence of microorganisms. 
• Wildlifemonitoring: Drones are used for tracking animals and in fire situations help to monitor fire.
• Sportscoverage: They are also used to feed live sports events on television.

What is the use of Drones in the Military?

Drone technology has helped the military a lot. They are used during military operations for jamming enemy communication devices, providing real-time video and much more. Below mentioned is the use of drones in the military sector

• Intelligence department
• Aerial surveillance
• Protecting force
• During search and rescue 
• Finding enemy weaponry
• Monitoring war damage 

Use of Drones in Rescue Operations

Sometimes it’s not safe and possible enough to send humans into a rescue operation and areas due to the scope or severity of the disaster. That is where the use of drones comes in. In the case of a capsized boat or drowning individual, the officials can throw an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) into the water to assist the rescue and create a pathway for escape. If there’s an avalanche, the drones are deployed and put the use to look and find those caught in the snow. One significant example of effective usage of drones is Aircraft maker, Kaman which has even developed a pilotless helicopter, called the K-MAX, designed to carry more than 6,000 pounds of cargo. The K-MAX has already been used in China and Australia to assist and support in fighting fires.

Written by:

Deepit Mathur