We need to stop calling the things we fly drones!

[Chaosrider]

We have to be realistic, the term drone to most implies surveillance and destruction - so why wouldn't people be concerned by thousands of new domestic "drones" invading their space. It's ok to say we need a program of "re-education" but really that's impossible, it's trying to shape mass understanding with no money - it's never going to happen. The further we can take what we fly from the word "drones" the better in my opinion. Easier to embrace a new term than fight with preconceived ideas that carry negative connotations.

The FAA got it right by calling them "unmanned aircraft" rather than drones, I'm not a Part 107 drone pilot, I'm a Part 107 unmanned aircraft systems pilot. Tell that to people and they see it completely differently.

Drones. 1.5 - 2.5 syllables, depending on how you count.

Any name with a syllable count above that, won't catch on. "Unmanned aircraft" has 4 syllables. No sale!

Note that this is linguistic observation, and not a "more accurate" observation.

 

[Hidden]

Call them "Sheep".

 

[Robert Prior]

Call them "Sheep".

So we can have ovine aviation?

 

[mooncusser]

Put an accent over the "e" and pronounce it "dro-nay"

 

[Clipper707]

We have to be realistic, the term drone to most implies surveillance and destruction - so why wouldn't people be concerned by thousands of new domestic "drones" invading their space. It's ok to say we need a program of "re-education" but really that's impossible, it's trying to shape mass understanding with no money - it's never going to happen. The further we can take what we fly from the word "drones" the better in my opinion. Easier to embrace a new term than fight with preconceived ideas that carry negative connotations.

The FAA got it right by calling them "unmanned aircraft" rather than drones, I'm not a Part 107 drone pilot, I'm a Part 107 unmanned aircraft systems pilot. Tell that to people and they see it completely differently.

They're drones. People know them as drones.

I imagine If I told people, "I'm a Part 107 unmanned aircraft systems pilot," they'd look at me quizzically. Then, as my Mavic came in to land, they'd be like, "Oh, you mean a drone."

The association with "surveillance and destruction" you allege has nothing to do with what we call them.

 

[Starz]

Flycam.

 

[Mavic lover]

IMO, it's too late - that horse is already out of the barn.

Yes ,it's too late

 

[GFields]

Yes ,it's too late

Greetings from Birmingham Alabama, welcome to the forum!

 

[Clipper707]

Flycam.

That's what they call drones in Vietnam. I love the term because it's succinct and descriptive.

Kind of like the word "luggage."

 

[cheddar-man]

DRONE - a low humming noise - Bagpipe?

THIS is a drone to dream of!

 

[lensimages]

I call mine Quad/Quadcopter sometimes, but "Drone" is just much simpler!

Hi everyone, with all the confusion about “drones” recently, I think we need to stop calling them drones and start calling them something else. I know this idea has been thrown around for a long time but no changes have really been made. A drone is any thing from a tiny 1 inch toy from Amazon to a military UAV that is the size of an airplane, costs millions, and kills hundreds if not thousands of people.

There is an Internet company that thinks calling a drone an unmanned vehicle is sexist , they prefer the word uncrewed and use it in all articles referring to Drones , when you think of all the words that include man in it, for instance Human, bit silly of them, cheers Len

 

[lensimages]

That's what they call drones in Vietnam. I love the term because it's succinct and descriptive.

Kind of like the word "luggage."

I like flycam

 

[Hidden]

Gnat-small, and annoying to the non-gnat world

 

[Mavic Merrick]

There is an Internet company that thinks calling a drone an unmanned vehicle is sexist , they prefer the word uncrewed and use it in all articles referring to Drones , when you think of all the words that include man in it, for instance Human, bit silly of them, cheers Len

You can make a “ist” or “ism” out of anything these days… NOTAM is a great example of this, it went from Notice To Airmen to Notice To Air Missions because it was “sexist”

 

[Ledaig]

How about 'Remote Operated Aerial Machine'?

ROAM for short - pretty much what they do as well

 

[Jigsaw43Bravo]

The one definition of "drone" that sticks in my mind that was not mentioned (though I may have missed it), is the mind-numb, ticket-punching, working-for-a-paycheck, cog-in-the-machine automaton that populates so many large corporation (oh, and especially government service) positions. The human equivalent of the drone bee - you have but one job, you do what you are told, and, by the way, you are entirely disposable and replaceable. Not really a complementary term!

 

[Martin9597]

Aerial Cameras (AC's)

 

[millbah]

They will always be know as drones, besides there is no sexism there unless someone decides otherwise. I am of the opinion if it's not broken leave it be.

 

[cheddar-man]

There is nothing anywhere that says "drone" is a flying machine. The name simply comes from the noise they make but then even that kid wrong. DRONE: "A low humming noise".
Most drones make a high pitched noise like a swarm of bees so from now on mine is a Bumbling Bee Cam

 

[Glenh]

How about ACDC - Aerial Controlled Deployable Camera?