Drones fighting for the skies

[nomiddlemas]

What are your opinions on drones flying around in the skies with General Aviation aircraft? Just curious. 

[Flying Pig]

I would like to see the public actually know what a "drone" is. 

[nomiddlemas]

I would like to see the public actually know what a "drone" is.

What do you mean?

[Eclipse]

I would like to see the public actually know what a "drone" is.

+1

[JeffDG]

I would like to see the public actually know what a "drone" is.

You mean the 535 people who work in DC?

[Huey Driver]

Three words: See and avoid.

[JeffDG]

Three words: See and avoid.

Or in the UAV world, "sense and avoid"

[scooter]

Let's see if this works for a definition:
A drone has a tiny brain and follows a preprogrammed plan. It cant deviate from the program and is uncontrolled once launched. We used these in Vietnam, Firebee I think. They were very valuable intel tools.
A UAS/UAV has a bigger brain and is controlled by someone on the ground that tells it what to do: go here, go there, do this & that. It becomes a drone when the pilot looses the comm link. They are also very valuable tools.
Does that work?

[Flying Pig]

And their relatively short lives usually end with a missile up the tail pipe

[lordmonar]

The current USAF terminology is RPA "Remotely Piloted Aircraft".

Once the FAA figures out the rules....the follow the rules and there shouldn't be a problem.