What is a UAV? What is a drone? What is the difference between UAV and drone?

Both are devices that are currently highly applicable in life, yet not many people know what UAVs are and what specific functions they have.

If you have never heard of UAVs or drones, or if you have heard of them but do not fully understand what they are and how to distinguish between these devices, then this article is for you. Let’s join FPT Shop in finding the answers to the questions: What is a UAV? Drone is what? Let’s make a small comparison to understand how these terms differ from each other!

What is UAV? Distinguishing the differences between UAV, Drone, and Flycam

Once used only for military purposes, today, with the rapid development of technology, unmanned aerial vehicles have entered many different fields in life, from agriculture and industry to entertainment. Accompanying the new improvements are various types of unmanned aerial vehicles such as UAV, Drone, and Flycam, and if you are not a “specialist,” it can be difficult to tell them apart.

UAV stands for “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle,” meaning an unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly referred to as a drone. This term refers to aircraft without a pilot, functioning like a robot that can be controlled remotely by a complex system. These aircraft will follow pre-programmed flight paths or be piloted by an operator at a ground control station based on sensors and GPS.

UAV is known as a device closely associated with military and air defense, with different shapes and sizes depending on the needs of use. Nowadays, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are also highly applicable in other fields such as agriculture, industry, delivery, or in search and rescue operations, traffic monitoring, weather observation, filming, etc.

What is a Drone?

Compared to UAVs, Drones have seen many improvements. Drones are new types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that have been improved in shape, size, and engine performance. Drones can be designed with a wingspan as wide as a miniature jet, equipped with multiple propellers for ease of maneuverability, or even small enough to be comparable to a model airplane.

Due to the advantages over UAVs, drones are applied more widely in fields such as communication, news, filmmaking, etc.

What is a Flycam?

Another term that is more familiar than UAV and Drone, which you have probably heard at least once, is Flycam. The term Flycam, also known as Flying camera or Drone with camera, refers to drones that are equipped with an additional observation camera along with a stabilization gimbal system.

With more advanced imaging devices, people often use Flycams for filming and taking pictures from above, capturing vivid and striking footage with a wide perspective.

What are the differences between UAV, Drone, and Flycam?

From the definitions above, it can be seen that UAVs, Drones, or Flycams are all unmanned aerial vehicles that can be controlled by a control station or a smartphone. However, they differ in size, shape, and some upgraded features depending on the intended use. UAV is the first generation of unmanned aerial vehicles, Drone is a slightly upgraded version, while Flycam is equipped with an observation camera for recording.

However, if your unmanned aerial vehicle weighs over 20kg and is used for commercial purposes, you need to obtain a license to be able to use it.

2. Applications of UAVs in life

With their compact design and unique features, unmanned aerial devices such as UAVs, drones, and flycams have been used in various fields, bringing certain benefits.

Applications of UAVs in the military field

UAVs are most commonly used in the military when operated for reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, and monitoring tactical information on the battlefield. UAVs equipped with cameras, or drones, can directly capture images or videos of bases, serving military operations. Additionally, they assist forest managers and border patrols in monitoring large forest areas and borders.

In search and rescue operations 

It cannot be denied the application of UAVs, drones, and flycams in rescue and relief operations. These devices help people detect those in distress, penetrate deeply into areas with complex or hard-to-reach terrain to capture direct images, such as in landslide, flood, fire, or earthquake zones,…

UAVs are also used to observe weather conditions, collect meteorological information, and manage natural disasters in weather agencies.

UAVs are also applied in agriculture, helping to monitor plants and large farms that are difficult to control. With UAVs equipped with cameras or drones, they also serve the purpose of capturing images and equipping additional sensors for easier observation.

In the field of film – television, entertainment

It can be seen that nowadays UAVs, drones, and flying cameras are widely used to serve journalism and filmmaking. They can support the transmission of images directly from many areas, capturing difficult aerial shots that require a broad perspective. Closest to this is the application of drones in entertainment; this device is often taken on trips to record footage and is used to capture images from above of both large and small events.

In addition, these devices also serve for fast transportation and delivery.

These are detailed explanations of the terms UAV and Drone, as well as some applications of unmanned aerial vehicles in daily life. I hope this article is useful to you!

Theo FPT Shop