Eyes in the Sky, Power on the Ground - Let’s talk about DRONE

 


Eyes in the Sky, Power on the Ground - Let’s talk about DRONE


What is a Drone in Aviation?


A drone in aviation refers to an aircraft that operates without a human pilot onboard. It is either controlled remotely by a human operator or flies autonomously using pre-programmed flight paths and onboard sensors and GPS.


 Aviation Classification of Drones (UAVs)


1. Based on Control

  • Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA): Controlled by a human pilot from a remote station.

  • Autonomous Drones: Fly without human input using AI, GPS, and onboard sensors.

 2. Based on Weight (As per ICAO and DGCA classifications)



Classification

Weight Range

Example Use

Nano UAV

Less than or equal to 250 grams

Toy drones, indoor use

Micro UAV

250 grams – 2 kg

Photography, hobby drones

Small UAV

2 kg – 25 kg

Agriculture, surveying, delivery drones

Medium UAV

25 kg – 150 kg

Surveillance, industrial applications

Large UAV

More than 150 kg

Military, long-endurance surveillance



3. Based on Usage in Aviation


 Military UAVs

  • Used for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, and airstrikes.

  • Examples: MQ-9 Reaper, RQ-4 Global Hawk.

Civil and Commercial UAVs

  • Used for logistics, aerial surveys, inspections, delivery, firefighting, etc.

  • Examples: DJI Matrice, Zipline delivery drones.

Research & Meteorological UAVs

  • Deployed for atmospheric research, climate monitoring, and aeronautical testing.








4. Based on Flight Altitude


Type

Altitude Range 

Use Case

Low-altitude drones

Below 400 feet AGL (Above Ground Level)

Commercial, recreation, agriculture

Medium-altitude drones

400–10,000 feet AGL

Surveillance, mapping, inspections

High-altitude drones

Above 10,000 feet AGL

Military, weather monitoring, endurance missions


5. Based on Wing Configuration


Type 

Description 

Fixed-wing drones

Like airplanes, glide using wings; long endurance

Rotary-wing drones

Like helicopters, can hover; agile and maneuverable

Hybrid drones (VTOL)

Take off vertically like helicopters, fly like airplanes

Regulatory Note (India – DGCA, International – ICAO)


  • All drones must be registered and marked with a Unique Identification Number (UIN) (except Nano category in India for non-commercial use).

  • Pilots must obtain Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP) for commercial use.

  • Restricted zones like airports, military areas, and government buildings are no-fly zones.

  • DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) is the regulatory authority in India.

  • Globally, ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) provides guidelines for drone integration in controlled airspace.
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Eyes in the Sky, Power on the Ground - Let’s talk about DRONE

  Eyes in the Sky, Power on the Ground - Let’s talk about DRONE What is a Drone in Aviation? A drone in aviation refers to an aircraft that ...