Over the last ten years, drone technology has advanced dramatically, making drones affordable and increasingly common in both professional and civilian settings. The widespread adoption of drones means there's now a wide variety of types available for purchase, which is great news for anyone looking for their own personal flying machine. You're bound to find one that meets your needs perfectly.
However, different types of UAVs serve different purposes, so you’ll need to do some research to find the best drone for your specific requirements. In this article, we'll explore a simple and practical way to classify the different types of drones based on specific parameters.
What exactly is a drone? A "drone" is an unmanned aerial vehicle that can fly without a human pilot. Its flight path is programmed through software or controlled remotely. This is just a basic definition; there are various terms used to describe this kind of aircraft.
- RPA or RPAS stands for Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. This term refers to the remote control of an aircraft.
- The most popular term, "drone," refers to unmanned aircraft.
- UAV or UAS is an acronym for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Unmanned Aerial System, referring to the absence of a physical pilot on board.
Drones come in different shapes and sizes, from small recreational mini-drones to large surveillance and control drones. Instead of overwhelming you with too much new information, we've broken down the different drone categories into a few distinct groups.
Let’s start by looking at drones based on their wing types. Here’s a summary of the four main types of drones according to their wing designs, along with their advantages, disadvantages, and uses:
| Drone Type | Advantages | Disadvantages | Uses |
|---------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Multi-rotor Drones | Easy to control and maneuver, VTOL and hover flight, often lower price, portable | Limited flying time, small payload capacity, less stability in the wind, lower flight speeds | Aerial photography, aerial inspection, landing surveying, agriculture |
| Fixed-wing Drones | Longer flight time, can carry heavier payloads, greater stability in the wind, higher speeds | More training required, no VTOL/hover, expensive, difficult to land, more space needed | Aerial mapping, utility inspection, surveillance, agriculture |
| Single-rotor Helicopter Drones | VTOL and hover flight, long endurance (with gas power), heavier payload capability | More dangerous, harder to fly, more training required, expensive | Aerial LiDAR laser scanning |
| Fixed-wing Hybrid VTOL Drones | VTOL and hover, long-endurance flight, fast speed, heavier payload capability | More training required, expensive | Aerial mapping, utility inspection, surveillance, agriculture, search and rescue |
Multi-rotor drones, also known as rotary-wing drones, are the most commonly used type for both recreational and professional purposes. Their compact size and excellent control make them ideal for aerial photography.
Fixed-wing drones, on the other hand, resemble traditional RC planes and are designed to stay airborne longer thanks to their aerodynamic properties. They are perfect for tasks requiring extended flights, such as aerial mapping or utility inspection.
Single-rotor helicopter drones resemble actual helicopters with a single rotor providing propulsion and a tail for stability and direction. They are better suited for carrying larger payloads and flying more efficiently than multi-rotor drones.
Finally, fixed-wing hybrid VTOL drones combine the best of both worlds, offering the ability to take off and land vertically while maintaining the long-range and flight time of fixed-wing drones. They are suitable for tasks such as aerial mapping, surveillance, and search and rescue operations.
Now let’s talk about drones based on their sizes. Drones can be classified from very small to large, each with its own unique characteristics and applications.
| Size | Length | Propeller Diameter | Weight | Use |
|--------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| Very Small Drones | 150mm (6 inches) or less | 51mm (2 inches) or less | 200 grams (0.2kg, 0.44lbs) | Military surveillance |
| Small Drones | Up to 300mm (12 inches) | 76-152mm (3-6 inches) | 200-1000 grams (0.44-2.2lbs)| Indoor equipment inspections, recreation, photography |
| Medium Drones | 300-1200mm (12 inches - 4 feet) | 150-640mm (6-25 inches) | 1-20kg (2.2-44 pounds) | Professional applications, amateur photography |
| Large Drones | 120cm (4 feet) and up | 64 cm (25 inches) and up | 20kg (44 pounds) and up | Military applications, drone deliveries, filmmaking |
Very small drones, also called nano drones, are incredibly tiny, often fitting in the palm of your hand. These drones are ideal for military surveillance and spying due to their stealthy nature.
Small drones are slightly larger, with wings that can be lifted and thrown into the air easily. They are commonly used for indoor inspections and outdoor recreation and photography.
Medium drones are larger and heavier, often requiring two people to lift. They are typically used for professional applications and amateur photography.
Large drones are similar in size to small aircraft and are primarily used for military purposes such as surveillance and combat. They are also used in civil applications like drone deliveries and filmmaking.
Lastly, let’s discuss drones based on their payload capacity. The amount of weight a drone can carry depends on the power of the motor and the lift generated by the propellers under standard weather conditions. Below, we’ll categorize UAVs into four groups based on their payload capacity.
| Drone Type | Weight | Payload Capacity | Use |
|--------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| Featherweight Drones | Less than 11 grams | 4 grams to 100 grams | Military surveillance |
| Lightweight Drones | 200-1000 grams (0.2-1 kg) | 150-270 grams | Recreation and photography |
| Middleweight Drones | 1-600 kg (2.20-1323 lbs) | 400-1460 grams | Professional applications, aerial photography |
| Heavy-lift Drones | More than 160 kg | More than 1,000 kg | Enemy detection and combat, civil applications |
Featherweight drones, also known as nanoscale drones, weigh as little as 11 grams and can carry payloads ranging from 4 grams to 100 grams.
Lightweight drones refer to mini drones with an average weight of 200-1000 grams, capable of carrying payloads between 150-270 grams.
Middleweight drones, weighing between 1-600 kg, are divided into commercial and military drones. Consumer and commercial drones typically carry payloads between 400-1460 grams. For example, the JOUAV CW-15 can carry an impressive 3 kg of different payloads!
Military middleweight drones have payload capacities ranging from 40 kg to 150 kg.
Heavy-lift drones are large drones, mostly military, with a small percentage used for delivery and high-precision mapping. These drones weigh more than 160 kg, with some exceeding 1,000 kg. Their payload capacity can reach 550 kg and above.
Finally, let’s consider drones based on their range. According to the range, UAVs can be classified into very close range, close range, short range, mid-range, and long range.
| Range | Flight Distance | Flight Time | Use |
|--------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| Very Close-range Drones | 5 km | 1 hour | Recreation |
| Close-range Drones | Up to 50 km | 1-6 hours | Military surveillance, aerial photography |
| Short-range Drones | Up to 150 km | 8-12 hours | Large-scale surveillance, mapping, utility inspection |
| Mid-range Drones | 644 km | 24 hours | Military combat and surveillance |
| Long-range Drones | More than 644 km | More than 24 hours | Military surveillance and espionage, weather tracking, geographic mapping |
Very close-range drones can fly within a 5 km range from the controller, with an average flight time of 1 hour. These drones are mainly used for recreational purposes.
Close-range drones can fly up to 50 km away from the controller and stay aloft for 1-6 hours. They are often used in military drones for surveillance.
Short-range drones can cover distances up to 150 km from the controller and remain airborne for 8-12 hours. They are typically used for combat and surveillance.
Mid-range drones can cover 644 km and fly at altitudes of 12,000 to 30,000 feet for more than 24 hours. These drones are used for both combat and surveillance.
Long-range drones, also known as endurance drones, are technologically superior and can travel well over 644 km without losing their signal. While primarily used for military surveillance and espionage, they are also employed by professionals for weather tracking, geological studies, and geographic mapping.
Lastly, drones can also be categorized based on their power sources. To fly, a drone needs a power source, such as batteries or fuel. Depending on the power source, drones can be classified into different types.
| Power Source | Pros | Cons |
|--------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Battery-powered Drones | Lightweight, ability to store decent amounts of energy, high discharge rates | Short lifespan, potential fire hazard, quick energy consumption |
| Gasoline-powered Drones | No need for expensive battery backups, no waiting for recharging, higher flight speed, smoother flight, ability to carry heavier payloads | Larger size, more noise, potentially dangerous due to combustible fuels |
| Hydrogen Fuel Cell Drones | Renewable and environmentally friendly, resourceful, higher energy density than batteries, longer flight time, refuels quickly, works well at low temperatures | Generates a lot of heat, currently inefficient |
| Solar-powered Drones | Reduces operating costs, increases operating hours | Requires sunlight, limited flight time depending on solar exposure, initial setup costs |
Battery-powered drones are lightweight and can store a decent amount of energy, but their lifespan is shorter, and they can pose a fire risk if mishandled.
Gasoline-powered drones are larger and noisier but offer longer flight times, higher speeds, and the ability to carry heavier payloads without the need for expensive battery backups.
Hydrogen fuel cell drones are renewable and environmentally friendly, offering longer flight times and quicker refueling, but they generate significant heat and are currently inefficient.
Solar-powered drones reduce operating costs and increase operational hours, but they rely on sunlight and have limited flight time depending on solar exposure.
Each type of drone has its own unique set of features and applications, so choosing the right drone depends on your specific needs and intended use.
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