What is a "drone"?

[jakee 1,257]

melch

From your wiki link.

From a more relevant Wiki link.

"Through some convoluted path, the name of "Queen Bee" is said to have led to the use of the term "drone" for pilotless aircraft, particularly when they are radio-controlled.[7] However during this period the U.S. Navy, continuing work that reached back to 1917, was also experimenting with radio controlled aircraft. In 1936 the head of this research group used the term "drone" to describe radio controlled aerial targets.[8]"

You need to give this one up. The term 'drone' massively predates the term 'UAV' and it was first used by the military. It's indisputable, so you should stop disputing it.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[strife 0]

one more
Daily Illini, 7 August 1946

Radio Controlled B-17 s Set Record In 2 , 400 Mile Flight From Hawaii

http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL19460807.2.2

Army wrote another page in the rapidly unfolding history of remote control aviation yesterday when two drone B-17 bombers landed at this desert air base from Hilo , Hawaii , in the longest completely unmanned flight to date...

JOLIET MAJOR LEADS DRONE IN FLIGHT

Maj . Robert Leimbacher of Joliet , 111 ., was radio operator of one of two army B-17 drones

[riggerrob 558]

Agreed
"Drone" is the original military term for an airplane with no pilot aboard. Early target drones were crude, barely capable of flying a simple tragectory ... little more than expensive artillery shells.
As drone software got more sophisticated, manufacturers tried hanging fancier names (UAV, UAS) on them.
Media stuck with the term "drone" because the public already understands that "buzz word."
Meanwhile the best and brightest military minds (bleeding edge of technology) are probably happy with public ignorance.

Think about it, everything the American public sees on TV, the Taliban discuss after evening prayers. Ergo, the less the American public knows about "drones" the less the Taliban know about drones.

[kenthediver 0]

Actually it is right (as in correct) (versus write (as in pen to paper) or rite (as in sequence of events - typically a passage of rite))

[turtlespeed 212]

kenthediver

Actually it is right (as in correct) (versus write (as in pen to paper) or rite (as in sequence of events - typically a passage of rite))

Wright!

And the people of Puma Punku have been using the word "Drone" to describe their remote controlled aircraft and water craft well before Popular Science ever thought about it.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[craddock 0]

quadcopter, hexcopter, multi rotor, UAV... Drone is just trendy and I have even heard Kalland use it. Annoys the crap out of me also as an rc enthusiast. I don't call my collective pitch helis toys though either though. That bugs me also.

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[quade 3]

craddock

quadcopter, hexcopter, multi rotor, UAV... Drone is just trendy and I have even heard Kalland use it. Annoys the crap out of me also as an rc enthusiast. I don't call my collective pitch helis toys though either though. That bugs me also.

Well, that's the thing about languages though, it doesn't matter a damn bit what any individual likes or dislikes. Common usage really does rule and especially over time.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Elisha 1]

quade

***quadcopter, hexcopter, multi rotor, UAV... Drone is just trendy and I have even heard Kalland use it. Annoys the crap out of me also as an rc enthusiast. I don't call my collective pitch helis toys though either though. That bugs me also.

Well, that's the thing about languages though, it doesn't matter a damn bit what any individual likes or dislikes. Common usage really does rule and especially over time.

But the biggest problem with just "accepting" this is the misconception behind what the words mean. 5 years ago, if someone had a quadcopter, everyone would just think it was a really cool remote control helicopter toy that had a much bigger range than old rc helicopters/planes. Now, since the media is calling everything a "drone", it is some scary spying (or even weapon thingy) that we all need to be scared of. By mainstream media essentially changing terms on us (the public at large), they are inadvertently (or maybe deliberately) fear mongering, creating paranoia where it shouldn't exist.

In a much more mild way, it is a similar case with stupid business buzzwords.

[craddock 0]

quade

***quadcopter, hexcopter, multi rotor, UAV... Drone is just trendy and I have even heard Kalland use it. Annoys the crap out of me also as an rc enthusiast. I don't call my collective pitch helis toys though either though. That bugs me also.

Well, that's the thing about languages though, it doesn't matter a damn bit what any individual likes or dislikes. Common usage really does rule and especially over time.

So if the media and whuffos change the verb-age and adjectives when describing incidents, we as a skydiving community should accept it and adopt the change because of common usage?

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[quade 3]

Elisha

Now, since the media is calling everything a "drone"...

(emphasis mine)

No. You're confusing "the media" with simply how the vast majority of people are referring to things. It's not "the media." It's pretty much everyone except the few people like yourself who don't happen to like the term.

Again, that's simply how language works.

You want to argue, don't argue with me on dz.com in bonfire; argue with dictionaries; argue with billions of other people.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[quade 3]

craddock

******quadcopter, hexcopter, multi rotor, UAV... Drone is just trendy and I have even heard Kalland use it. Annoys the crap out of me also as an rc enthusiast. I don't call my collective pitch helis toys though either though. That bugs me also.

Well, that's the thing about languages though, it doesn't matter a damn bit what any individual likes or dislikes. Common usage really does rule and especially over time.

So if the media and whuffos change the verb-age and adjectives when describing incidents, we as a skydiving community should accept it and adopt the change because of common usage?

Actually, you have that exactly backwards. The skydiving industry who are attempting to turn what are commonly (even legally) defined as accidents into "incidents."

Please refer to the FAA definition of an accident and then get back to me on what the USPA calls them.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[craddock 0]

quade

*********quadcopter, hexcopter, multi rotor, UAV... Drone is just trendy and I have even heard Kalland use it. Annoys the crap out of me also as an rc enthusiast. I don't call my collective pitch helis toys though either though. That bugs me also.

Well, that's the thing about languages though, it doesn't matter a damn bit what any individual likes or dislikes. Common usage really does rule and especially over time.

So if the media and whuffos change the verb-age and adjectives when describing incidents, we as a skydiving community should accept it and adopt the change because of common usage?

Actually, you have that exactly backwards. The skydiving industry who are attempting to turn what are commonly (even legally) defined as accidents into "incidents."

Please refer to the FAA definition of an accident and then get back to me on what the USPA calls them.

I actually wrote accidents and then changed it during proof reading and editing as I know that is is what is preferred on this site, but I was not referring to that term even remotelyl. Not in the least. You cherry picked that one but I have not heard of any skydiver bitching at the media for calling an accident and accident. Things is a lot different in your part of the world if that is going on. I have not even seen a thread bitching at the media for using the term accident so I really believe this issue that your fellow skydivers have with that word is unique to your area. Plenty of other the media get wrong. An accident is just that. Unless it isn't of course

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[quade 3]

craddock

I actually wrote accidents and then changed it during proof reading and editing as I know that is is what is preferred on this site, but I was not referring to that term even remotelyl. Not in the least. You cherry picked that one but I have not heard of any skydiver bitching at the media for calling an accident and accident.

Then . . . why did you change it?

Lol.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[jakee 1,257]

Quote

So if the media and whuffos change the verb-age and adjectives when describing incidents, we as a skydiving community should accept it and adopt the change because of common usage?

I don't think anyone's really that bothered by the media using 'chute instead of parachute or canopy, and frankly (even if we don't think it's trendy enough) it's not even wrong.

Mostly what bother's people about media reports is flat out factual errors. When 'hook turned into the ground' turns into 'parachute didn't open' it's really got nothing to do with drifting definitions.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[craddock 0]

Forget it Quade. Your right. If the media want to call them drones then all the enthusiasts that fly them should accept that. You were right I was wrong.

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[champu 1]

craddock

Forget it Quade. Your right. If the media want to call them drones then all the enthusiasts that fly them should accept that. You were right I was wrong.

I don't think quade is suggesting we should be happy about it, I think he's just pointing out that if you're communicating outside of technical, scientific, or legal documentation/channels, it's a losing battle to try and steer the general public when it comes to language.

In fact, whenever you get into the details of any subject, the definition of the "general public" basically collapses to "people who hopelessly don't know what the hell they're talking about."

The only time I tend to get worked up is when the "general public" uses, and any misconceptions embedded therein, start working their way into technical, scientific, or legal documentation in what I'll call "codifying of ignorance." (for example, imagine a law that tried to govern "drones" and then just copied and pasted everything you see here into the definition.)

Also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkwfkU0hRZM

[turtlespeed 212]

champu

(for example, imagine a law that tried to govern "drones" and then just copied and pasted everything you see here into the definition.)

AH - you have been reading up on "Democrats" again.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[keithbar 1]

if your flying it in your backyard it's a toy. but if you mount a gopro on it . it's an evil spy " drone"

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[champu 1]

turtlespeed

*** (for example, imagine a law that tried to govern "drones" and then just copied and pasted everything you see here into the definition.)

AH - you have been reading up on "Democrats" again.

Eeeeeeasy... Steady... Bonfire...

Good Turtle.

[turtlespeed 212]

champu

****** (for example, imagine a law that tried to govern "drones" and then just copied and pasted everything you see here into the definition.)

AH - you have been reading up on "Democrats" again.

Eeeeeeasy... Steady... Bonfire...

Good Turtle.

Sorry - it was meant as a joke -

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[PeteW 0]

Ha ha. I have a dji phantom 2 with fpv and a gopro 3. I always correct people and tell them its just a quad copter with a camera. One guy was chatting to me while I was flying. Then he said I bet you could spy on the neighbours. So I brought it down lower so he could hear it. I also pointed out the flashing lights on each arm. I said I would have to be about 10-15' away to spy.

[quade 3]

PeteW

Ha ha. I have a dji phantom 2 with fpv and a gopro 3. I always correct people and tell them its just a quad copter with a camera. One guy was chatting to me while I was flying. Then he said I bet you could spy on the neighbours. So I brought it down lower so he could hear it. I also pointed out the flashing lights on each arm. I said I would have to be about 10-15' away to spy.

A rose is a rose is a rose.

That said, don't confuse the words "drone" with "stealth." Nobody said drones had to be stealthy even to spy on someone.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[theonlyski 3]

quade

That said, don't confuse the words "drone" with "stealth." Nobody said drones had to be stealthy even to spy on someone.

Some of the UAVs flying around Iraq were loud enough to hear from the ground, and they were thousands of feet above.

Of course, depending where you are, the surrounding area is more noisy than any drone could be.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[PeteW 0]

I guess I just don't like the negative connotation that goes along with drone. I never fly over crowds, private property or near airports ect. To me its a tool to get some amazing pics that are hard to get.


Maybe a similar public image that some people think all skydivers are nuts and have a death wish.

[NewGuy2005 51]

Here's what I think qualifies as a "drone": Any aircraft that can be piloted remotely, beyond the line of sight of the pilot, either through the use of a camera or or other automated means.