Welcome to B&H’s glossary of essential drone terms and vocabulary, a carefully curated compendium of technical terms, jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations commonly associated with drones and drone systems.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
Accelerometer: A device that measures acceleration. In drones, accelerometers are used to determine position and orientation during flight and to help maintain stabilization.
Acro: Short for acrobatic. When a drone is in acro mode, the pilot has total control over its angular velocity of rotation. In other words: It’s all up to you. The drone will not self-level automatically. It will not “fight” stick input. You can fly the drone however you like, including making it perform loops, rolls, and other acrobatic maneuvers. Acro mode is also commonly known as manual and rate mode.
AGL: Above Ground Level. Indicates the current altitude of your drone above the ground or surface directly below it. For example: A drone flying 100 feet above a 25-foot hill would have an AGL of 100 feet. However, once that same drone passes over the 25-foot fill, its AGL would increase to 125 feet—assuming the drone doesn’t change altitude.
Air Frame: The air frame (or frame) is the body of your drone. Think of the frame as your drone’s skeleton—it's where all of your system components (camera, props, motors, boards, etc.) are housed.
Altitude Hold: A feature that allows drones to maintain a consistent altitude above ground level without pilot input.
ATC: Air Traffic Control. A service provided by certified ground-based air traffic controllers who monitor and direct aircraft to ensure the safe and orderly flow of air traffic through a specified area.
ATTI: Short for attitude. ATTI mode is a failsafe mode found in most DJI drones. When a drone’s GPS and visual positioning systems are unavailable (or disabled), the drone will automatically switch to ATTI mode.
Autel Robotics: A prominent aerial drone manufacturer. Founded in 2014 in Shenzhen, China, Autel Robotics has been making consumer- and commercial-grade drones for over a decade, including its popular EVO series.
Auto Leveling: See self-level.
B
Band: Drones transmit data over certain frequencies (or channels). These channels are split into specific groups called bands (Band A, Band B, etc.). Each band has specific channels, each with its own unique frequency.
Bando: An abandoned building or structure suitable for FPV operations. Knowing what a bando is doesn’t necessarily enhance your technical knowledge or ability, but it’s fun to say and will definitely make it sound like you know what you’re talking about.
Battery: The battery supplies your drone with power. The most common type of drone battery is a lithium-ion polymer (LiPo) battery, which is a multi-cell battery available with different cell configurations: from one cell (1S) all the way up to eight cells (8S). Generally speaking, more cells equal more power and thus more speed, but they also equal more weight overall, which impacts total flight time.
Beginner Drone: Beginner drones are UAVs intended for novice and first-time fliers. Most beginner drones are easy to operate, relatively durable, and come equipped with basic, user-friendly features that help pilots get accustomed to operating a drone.
Brushed Motor: One of the two types of motors commonly used in in drones. In general, brushed motors are weaker than brushless motors and typically only used in very small (or micro) FPV drones.
Brushless Motor: One of the two types of motors commonly used in in drones. Brushless motors are generally more powerful and more durable than brushed motors, and thus have wider applications.
C
Camera Drones: With the exception of certain toy and novice-level drones, most consumer-grade UAVs feature some type of onboard camera system. The quality of that camera system is a key determinant of a drone’s categorization. For example, a high-quality camera system with advanced supporting features is a good indicator that a drone is either a prosumer- or professional-level drone.
Commercial Drone: See enterprise drone.
Channel: See band.
D
DJI: The most prominent drone manufacturer in the world. Founded in 2006 in Shenzhen, China, DJI has dominated UAV sales for nearly two decades, commanding more than 70 percent of the global drone market.
Drone: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely.
E
Enterprise Drone: Enterprise drones are advanced, commercial-grade UAVs designed for specific applications, such as infrastructure inspection, search and rescue, firefighting, and more. Because of their task-specific design, enterprise drones often feature unique technologies and accessories not regularly seen on conventional drones, such as thermal cameras, spotlights, and more.
ESC: Electronic Speed Controller. ESCs determine how fast and in what direction each motor spins, thus controlling the overall speed. Typically, ESCs are installed individually (1 per arm) or as a 4-in-1 unit (as part of the FC stack). If you’re dealing with a pre-built aircraft, ESCs aren’t something with which you need to be overly concerned. Just know they are largely responsible for your drone’s overall speed.
F
FC: Flight Controller. If the air frame is the skeleton of your drone, then the FC is its brain. All signals pass through this programmable circuit board and are converted into action. If you’re flying any kind of pre-assembled drone, flight controllers aren’t something over which you’ll necessarily need to fret. However, if you are building a drone from the frame up, there are multiple factors to consider when buying an FC, including the MCU and IMU type, voltage support, and mount style.
FPV: First-Person View. An FPV drone transmits video from its onboard camera system to the pilot on the ground, who then receives that footage in real time using compatible FPV goggles or a monitor. The “first-person” look or perspective of that live footage is where FPV draws its name.
FPV Goggles: FPV goggles are used to stream video from your drone to you in real time. Similar to virtual reality (VR) goggles, FPV goggles feature two small screens that sit directly in front of your eyes. Your FPV goggles receive the video from your drone and then display it on these screens in real time, giving you a live, first-person view of flying from the drone’s perspective.
FPV Racing: FPV racing is one of the most popular uses for FPV drones. In an FPV drone race, pilots use FPV equipment to race each other around a predetermined track.
Freefly Systems: A prominent drone and gimbal manufacturer. Founded in 2011 in Woodinville, Washington, Freefly has been making consumer- and commercial-grade UAVs, camera stabilizers, and filming accessories for well over a decade.
Freestyle: A type of FPV flying that focuses on acrobatics, exploration, and enjoyment. Unlike FPV racing and photography/cinematography, freestyle flying doesn’t have one specific objective. It’s great for beginners who want to get the feel of FPV flying down. Likewise, it’s where experienced FPV pilots practice tricks, train for a race, or rehearse an upcoming shot. There is no specific set of rules for how to freestyle fly, but there are lots of benefits.
Frequency: Drone systems use specific radio frequencies to transmit and receive signals. With respect to drones, the most common frequencies are 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz.
G
Gap: Any small area through which a drone can fly. A common element in both FPV racing and freestyle flying.
Gimbal: A pivoted support that allows the rotation of an object (e.g., a camera) about an axis. Gimbals allow the attached object to move in a balanced, controlled, and vibration-free manner.
GPS: Global Positioning System. A satellite-based radio navigation system that relays geolocation and time information to a compatible receiver anywhere on or near the Earth.
H
Headless Mode: When a drone is in headless mode, its movement are based on the pilot’s perspective rather than its own orientation. In other words, if a drone is in headless mode, and you input left on the controller, the drone will move left regardless of which way it’s facing. However, if the drone isn’t in headless mode and you input left, the drone will move to its left, not yours—unless you happen to be facing the same way as the drone.
Hexacopter: A multirotor aircraft (or drone) with six propellers.
I
IMU: Inertial Measurement Unit. The IMU is a sensor on your FC board that measures your drone’s orientation and movement. If you’re just starting out with FPV flying or you’re using a pre-assembled craft, the IMU probably won’t show up on your radar. However, what you should know is that the IMU houses an accelerometer and a gyroscope, and these two sensors determine your drone’s flight mode (acro or self-level).
Intelligent Flight Modes: Autonomous flight features programmed into a drone that allow it to perform certain complex tasks and maneuvers without input from the pilot.
L
Latency: Video latency is a critical factor in FPV flying. It indicates the time delay (or lag) between what you and your drone see. In other words, it’s the amount of time it takes for video to be transmitted from your drone to you. When flying an FPV drone, you want a minimal amount of latency, otherwise you won’t be able to react to your environment in real time, which can result in a crash.
M
Manual Mode: See acro.
Mini Drone: Drones weighing less than 250 g (0.55 lb) are often categorized as mini drones. Most mini drones fall into other categories as well (such as beginner and/or FPV racing drones), but their standout feature is their sub-250 g weight, which, depending on the use case, allows them to be flown without registration.
MCU: Micro Controller Unit. The MCU is your FC’s (flight controller’s) processor. Continuing our human-body analogy: If the FC is the brain, then the MCU is sort of like the hippocampus—it’s where memory (firmware) is stored and accessed. The MCU also handles all the complex calculations the FC uses to regulate flight.
Mistakes High: Mistakes high is a variable measurement indicating the level of altitude needed to recover in the event of user or flight system error. For example, if you were flying a drone at an altitude of 80' in an open field, you’d be flying 1 or 2 “mistakes high,” depending on the pilot. In other words, the drone is high enough that you can recover from either 1 or 2 mistakes before crashing.
Motors: The motor assembly is what’s responsible for spinning the props of your drone and providing enough thrust to fly. There are two types of motors commonly used with drones: brushed and brushless.
Multirotor: A multirotor is any aircraft with more than two rotors. It’s one of the many words used interchangeably with “drones.” If you hear someone talking about a multirotor, odds are they just mean drone.
O
Obstacle Avoidance System: A safety feature used by drones to automatically detect and avoid obstacles in their flight path. Most obstacle avoidance systems rely on a combination of detection sensors and software to perceive obstacles and safely navigate around them.
Octocopter: A multirotor aircraft (or drone) with eight propellers.
P
PDB: Power Distribution Board. The PDB regulates how power is distributed throughout your drone. In most builds, the PDB connects directly to the flight battery, and distributes power to the other components.
Pitch: Pitch indicates the direction of the tilt (either up or down) in which a drone is moving along its vertical axis. One way to visualize pitch is to think of your drone’s nose as your own. Moving your nose up and down in a straight line is the same as adjusting your drone’s pitch. Nose goes up, pitch goes up. Nose goes down, pitch goes down.
Professional Cinema Drone: Professional cinema drones are strictly for the pros. These advanced moviemaking tools feature the most sophisticated aerial imaging equipment and functionality available, including cinema-grade cameras with 3-axis gimbal support, the latest image processing software and technologies, industry-leading video transmission, and much more.
Propellers: Propellers (or props) are the rotating blades that help propel your drone. They come in different styles and materials, and with different blade counts and other attributes.
Prosumer Drone: Drones that can be used for both personal and professional applications are often categorized as prosumer drones. These types of drones tend to include more advanced technologies and features, including a higher-quality camera with better recording capabilities, increased battery life, enhanced safety protocols and tracking features, and more.
Q
Quadcopter: A multirotor aircraft (or drone) with four propellers.
R
Rx: Receiver. The Rx receives signals from the Tx (transmitter) and converts them into usable forms. For example, the video transmitter on your drone transmits signals to a receiver on the ground (e.g., your goggles) and then converts that signal into viewable video. Can also be described as VRx, or video receiver.
Rate Mode: See acro.
Roll: Roll indicates the direction in which a drone is rotating along its horizontal (longitudinal) axis. A good analogy for a roll is trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. See the way your head tilts? That’s a roll.
ROV: Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle. Not all drones belong in the air. ROVs (remotely operated underwater vehicles) are submersible unmanned drones that are typically controlled via tether, Wi-Fi buoy, or some combination of both. ROVs are used in both consumer and commercial applications, including underwater photography, exploration, inspection, and more.
RTH: Return to Home. A safety feature found in many drones that directs the aircraft return to its original takeoff point (or to another predefined location). In most drones, RTH can be activated manually by the pilot, or in case of emergency (e.g., low battery or loss of signal), it will be activated automatically.
S
Self-Level: Unlike acro mode, self-level mode keeps your drone level even without stick input. In general, there are two types of self-leveling: angle mode and horizon mode. Angle mode is the most restrictive, as it prevents the drone from exceeding certain pitch and roll angles. Horizon mode is slightly less prohibitive, because it allows for controlled rolls, but will still self-level if there is no stick input.
T
Tx: Transmitter. The Tx transmits signals from your drone to an Rx (receiver) on the ground (e.g., FPV goggles). The Rx then converts those signals from the Tx into a usable form (e.g., a live video feed). Can also be described as VTx, or video transmitter.
U
UAV: See drone.
V
VRx: See Rx.
VTx: See Tx.
W
Waypoint: A specific geographic point used for purposes of navigation.
Y
Yaw: Yaw indicates the direction (either clockwise or counterclockwise) in which a drone is rotating along its vertical axis. If you were flying an FPV drone and you began to yaw left (turn counterclockwise) or yaw right (turn clockwise), it would appear as if you were spinning in a circle.
