There’s some confusion over the correct terminology for remotely controlled unmanned aerial aircraft, commonly known as drones or UAV’s.
There are a number of different terms used to describe these aircraft, all tend to be randomly interchanged depending on the user, but they broadly refer to the same thing.
The most common names are: ‘Unmanned Aerial Vehicle’ (UAV); ‘Small Unmanned Aircraft’ (SUA); ‘Small Unmanned Surveillance Aircraft’ (SUSA); ‘Remotely or remote Piloted Aircraft System’ (RPAS); ‘Remotely Operated Vehicle’ (ROV); ‘Unmanned Aircraft System’ (UAS); Helicam; Drone; Quadcopter; Hexacopter; Octocopter.
Which is correct? Well, probably all of them with the exception of Drone, which by definition is pilotless and it’s route pre-programmed.
So in conclusion, what should we call them? Hovershotz, prefer and use the term UAV (short for unmanned aerial vehicle) when speaking to other UAV operators, however our customers tend to call them ‘drones’, so when speaking with customers we usually use the term drone.
Hope that cleared that one up lol 😉
Hovershotz are a commercial drone operator, working out of the English Lake District in Cumbria
