ABSTRACT
Drone' is one of the many names for an unmanned aircraft. It has also been traced to the target drone 'Fairey Queen', the success of which led to the creation of the 'Queen Bee' drones. Drones have been associated with the military in the popular imagination, and carry a negative connotation because they have been used to kill remotely. In the 1960s, the term 'Remotely Piloted Vehicle' (RPV) was used, replaced by 'Unmanned Aerial Vehicles' (UAV) in the 1980s. Other terms that have been used are 'Unmanned Aircraft' (UA), 'Remotely Piloted Aviation Systems' (RPAS), 'Unmanned Drones', and 'Autonomous Drones'. The origin of the modern drone can be traced to the First World War in which drones were created as target practice for the British army. Civilian drones have been termed radio-controlled model or unmanned aircraft. The only difference between the terms is perhaps that a model aircraft is associated with leisure and recreation; unmanned aircraft are associated with commercial use.
