UAS vs Drone? It’s More Than Mere Semantics.

The word drone is used a lot these days. While it’s a buzzword now, its popularization began as far back as 1946, when Popular Science Magazine ran an article about the potential such crafts had for personal and military use.

Today, our industry is changing at a rapid pace, with new technology and processes emerging all of the time. Because of this, the way we talk about technology and the tools we use changes as well. And so, terms like drone are used in ways that may be technically correct but can also cause confusion within the industry when referencing specific tools needed for a job.

The Difference Between “Drone,” “UAS,” and “UAS”

As you may have noticed, we don’t use the word drone regularly on this site (outside our Drone 101 blog section), or when we’re talking with clients face-to-face. Instead, we prefer to use the acronym UAS, which stands for “unmanned aerial system.” This term is all-encompassing, referring to everything that makes an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAS, operate — from the ground control station to communications to the vehicle itself and other support equipment.

We use UAS because, at Skytec, our services include more than just piloting a flying vehicle. We use the full system, and that full system gives us the opportunity to deliver a robust suite of services to our clients (more about that in our “Acquire, Analyze, Inform” post). We also prefer this term because it encompasses the potential of future technologies that will no doubt be introduced to these systems.

So, couldn’t we just say “drone” when talking about UASs?

Not really.

While drone does mean an unmanned aerial vehicle, the term refers to machines with simpler technology used for personal use, while UAS refers to vehicles with much more complicated technology used professionally by larger companies, government entities, and the military.

Another difference is that drones are usually smaller, while UASs tend to be much bigger, looking more like airplanes and helicopters without pilots.

Easy-to-remember Drone/UAS/UAS Guide

• Drone — smaller, less technologically-advanced unmanned aircraft, most popular with hobbyists
• UAS — larger, more technologically-robust unmanned aircraft (just the aircraft), used for large-scale, complex work
• UAS — the entire unmanned system of technology, including a UAS, ground control, support equipment, and more

The Origin of the Phrase Drone

So, where did the word drone come from?

It’s a term often used by the media to easily describe any type of unmanned flying vehicle, especially when it comes to military usage. But before that, it was used in conjunction with the DH.82B Queen Bee, a pilotless aircraft built in the 1930s. But once World War II began, the military used “drone” more broadly, referring to any remote-controlled aerial vehicle without a pilot.

But as military technology became more complicated and commercial technology began to catch up, the term drone became more difficult to associate with the wide variety of unmanned aerial vehicles available for personal, professional and military use, making the term outdated and inaccurate.

Why We Don’t Lead with the Term Drone

While it may seem unimportant to distinguish how we refer to the equipment we use, we assure you it is. Let’s put it this way, would you rather hire a company that uses drones, simpler machines that are far less technologically advanced? Or would you rather hire a company that invests in full-spectrum, industry-leading UAS equipment, who is committed to meeting rigorous safety standards, and can partner with you to make sense of robust data collections?

We’re the latter.

Here at Skytec, we love what we do. And we take it seriously.

And that means using only the best equipment for the job. While we are fans of using drones as a hobby (and certainly don’t turn our noses up at the term), when it comes to our work, we use the most innovative technology available. And that means making the distinction between a drone and a UAS. It’s not just for semantics’ sake, it’s about the highest-quality job we can do for you.

To learn more about the kinds of UAS and imaging equipment we use at Skytec, visit our systems page.