Here’s a glossary of Drones (UAVs) terms and abbreviations, covering consumer, professional, and industrial applications. This is designed as a master reference for hobbyists, commercial operators, retailers, and enthusiasts.
🛸 DRONES & UAV GLOSSARY
A
AGL (Above Ground Level) – Altitude measured from the ground directly below the drone.
API (Application Programming Interface) – Software interface for programming or controlling drones.
Autonomous Flight – Drone operation without manual control, following pre-programmed instructions.
Altitude Hold – Feature that keeps drone at a constant height automatically.
Arm / Disarm – Activating or deactivating drone motors for flight safety.
B
Battery Management System (BMS) – Monitors drone battery health, charge, and discharge.
Brushless Motor – Efficient, long-lasting drone motor without brushes.
Body Frame – Main structure of the drone supporting components.
Buzzer – Sound device for alerts like low battery or lost drone.
Bin Picking / BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) – Commercial drone operation terms.
C
C-GPS / GPS – Global Positioning System for navigation and stability.
Camera Gimbal – Motorized mount stabilizing camera during flight.
Controller / Transmitter (TX) – Device used to manually control the drone.
Crash Landing / Emergency Landing – Forced landing due to failure or safety protocols.
Cargo Drone – Drone designed to carry payloads for delivery or transport.
D
Drone / UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) – Aircraft operated without onboard pilot.
Drone FPV (First-Person View) – Real-time video transmission to pilot for immersive control.
Drone Racing – Competitive sport using FPV racing drones.
DJI / Autel / Skydio – Major consumer and professional drone brands.
Distance / Line-of-Sight (LOS) – Maximum operational distance while maintaining visual contact.
E
ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) – Device controlling drone motor speed.
Emergency Stop / Kill Switch – Instantly cuts power to motors.
Extended Range / Long Range Drone – Drones capable of flying farther than standard consumer models.
F
Flight Controller (FC) – Onboard computer managing sensors, motors, and flight stability.
Firmware – Software embedded in drone hardware for operation.
Follow Me Mode – Autonomous flight mode where drone tracks a moving subject.
Failsafe – Safety feature initiating return or landing in case of signal loss.
Foldable Drone – Compact drone design with folding arms for portability.
G
GPS Lock / Satellite Lock – Drone connected to GPS satellites for stable navigation.
Gimbal Stabilization – Mechanical or electronic system stabilizing cameras.
Ground Station / GCS – Control hub or app interface for drone operation.
Gyroscope – Sensor detecting orientation changes to maintain stability.
H
Headless Mode – Drone control relative to pilot, ignoring drone’s orientation.
Hover – Maintaining fixed position in air automatically.
Home Point / Return-to-Home (RTH) – Pre-set location drone returns to automatically.
High-Speed Mode / Sport Mode – Increases drone speed and maneuverability.
I
IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) – Sensor combining accelerometers and gyroscopes for stabilization.
Intelligent Flight Modes – Pre-programmed modes like orbit, waypoint, or follow.
ISO (Camera Sensor Sensitivity) – Setting affecting exposure in aerial photography.
J
Joystick / Control Stick – Controller input device for drone movement.
Joystick Mode / Acro Mode – Flight mode allowing manual, non-stabilized control.
K
Kv Rating (Motor) – RPM per volt; higher Kv = faster motor spin, lower torque.
L
LiPo Battery (Lithium Polymer) – High-performance battery type for drones.
LED Indicators – Lights showing status, battery, or connectivity.
Landing Gear / Skids – Structure supporting drone during takeoff and landing.
Line-of-Sight (LOS) – Keeping visual contact with the drone.
Live Video / FPV Feed – Real-time camera transmission to pilot or device.
M
Multirotor – Drone with multiple rotors (quad, hex, octo).
Maximum Altitude / Ceiling – Maximum safe operational height.
Motor Timing / ESC Calibration – Adjusting motors for efficiency.
Mission Planning / Waypoints – Programming drone path in advance.
N
No-Fly Zone (NFZ) – Restricted airspace where drones are prohibited.
Navigation Lights / Anti-Collision Lights – LEDs for visibility in low-light or night operation.
Noise Level / dB – Sound produced by drone during operation.
O
Obstacle Avoidance / Sensors – Systems detecting and avoiding obstacles automatically.
Optical Flow Sensor – Camera-based sensor for indoor positioning without GPS.
Orientation / Yaw / Pitch / Roll – Angles describing drone’s position in 3D space.
P
Propeller / Blade – Rotating airfoil generating lift.
Payload / Carrying Capacity – Weight drone can carry safely.
PTZ Camera (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) – Movable camera for detailed aerial imaging.
Power Distribution Board (PDB) – Distributes electrical power to drone components.
Q
Quadcopter – Drone with four rotors.
Quick Release Prop / Battery – Easy-to-remove components for transport.
R
Return-to-Home (RTH) – Automatic drone return to preset home point.
Radio Link / Control Signal – Wireless communication between drone and controller.
Rotor / Motor Arm – Drone arm supporting motors and propellers.
Range Extender / Signal Booster – Device increasing operational distance.
S
Signal Loss / RC Loss – Loss of communication between drone and controller.
Stabilization / Gimbal – Keeping camera or drone steady during flight.
Smart Drone / AI Drone – Equipped with sensors, computer vision, and AI capabilities.
Speed Modes / Cruise Mode – Settings to optimize speed and battery life.
T
Telemetry / Flight Data – Real-time data on altitude, speed, battery, GPS, etc.
Takeoff / Landing Assist – Automated systems for smoother operation.
Transmitter (TX) / Receiver (RX) – Devices for controlling drone and receiving signals.
Tilt / Roll / Pitch – Movements of the drone along three axes.
U
UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) – Technical term for a drone.
UV / UV Coating – Protection for drone camera lenses or body.
Ultra-Light Drone – Small drone, often under 250g, with relaxed regulations.
V
Vertical Takeoff / VTOL – Drones capable of vertical lift-off.
Video Transmission / HD FPV – Sending live high-definition video from drone to pilot.
VLOS / BVLOS – Visual Line-of-Sight and Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight operations.
W
Waypoint Navigation – Programming specific GPS points for automated flight.
Wi-Fi / App Control – Controlling drones via smartphone or tablet.
Wind Resistance / Flight Stability – Drone performance in wind conditions.
X
X-Axis / Cross Axis – Orientation axis for flight control.
Y
Yaw / Heading – Rotation around vertical axis.
Yaw Control / Rudder – Mechanism for controlling rotational direction.
Z
Zenith / Altitude Limit – Maximum height drones can safely fly.
Zoom / Camera Gimbal – Optical or digital zoom for aerial imaging.
Published 17th Feb. 2026