Drone
drohn
/drəʊn/
An unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control or onboard computers.
While 'drone' can also refer to a continuous low humming sound or a male bee, in this context, it specifically denotes an uncrewed aerial vehicle.
The story behind the word. The word 'drone' buzzes into English from Old English 'drān,' meaning 'male bee.' It's an imitative word, mimicking the low, continuous hum of a bee. This sound connection is precisely why, in the early 20th century, the term was adopted for remote-controlled aircraft – they often made a similar buzzing noise and performed 'worker bee' functions, flying without a human pilot onboard.
Word relationships
- UAV: An acronym for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, often used interchangeably with 'drone' in technical contexts.
- RPV: Remotely Piloted Vehicle, emphasizing human control rather than autonomy.
- manned aircraft: An aircraft with a human pilot on board.
Commonly confused with
- airplane: An airplane is typically a larger, manned aircraft, while a drone is unmanned and can vary greatly in size and function.
Word family
- droning (adjective): making a low continuous humming sound
Collocations
- surveillance drone
- delivery drone
- military drone
- commercial drone
- operate a drone
- deploy a drone
Example sentences
- "The military deployed a surveillance drone to monitor the remote border, providing real-time intelligence without risking human lives." Military operations
- "Amazon is experimenting with delivery drones to transport packages directly to customers' homes, promising faster shipping times." Commercial use
Memory hook
Think of a 'DRONE' as a flying machine that makes a DRONING (humming) sound, like a giant male bee. Buzzing Bee Machine
When not to use
Avoid using 'drone' when referring to manned aircraft or when the context clearly implies a different meaning (e.g., a musical drone or a lazy person).
Fun facts
- The first 'drones' were developed in the early 20th century, initially for target practice for anti-aircraft gunners.
- The term 'drone' was first used in the context of unmanned aircraft in the 1930s.
Related words
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