Drone
In short
A drone is an aircraft that flies without a human pilot on board. It is controlled either remotely by a person or by onboard computers using pre-set programmes.
In plain words
These machines are often called Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). They can be small toys for fun or large, complex machines used for professional work. They use sensors and GPS to navigate the sky.
A simple example
A photographer might fly a small drone over a wedding to take beautiful photos from high above. Alternatively, a farmer could use a larger drone to check on crops across a massive field.
Why it matters
Drones make dangerous or difficult jobs much easier and safer. They are used for everything from delivering parcels to searching for lost hikers in the mountains.
Easy to mix up
People often confuse drones with remote-controlled planes, but drones are specifically designed to operate autonomously or via remote data links.