A Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft operated without a human pilot on board, controlled either remotely by a ground-based operator or autonomously via pre-programmed flight plans and onboard sensors. Available in diverse sizes—from compact consumer models to large industrial-grade systems—UAVs integrate core components like electric motors, rechargeable batteries, GPS modules, and high-definition cameras or specialized payloads (e.g., thermal imagers, LiDAR). They excel in applications ranging from aerial photography and recreational flying to professional sectors such as agricultural crop monitoring, infrastructure inspection (bridges, power lines), search-and-rescue missions, and environmental surveillance, offering flexibility, cost-efficiency, and access to hard-to-reach areas while minimizing human risk.
