21st Century Skills InnovatIon LIbrary Drones EMERGING T h e c Cherry Lake PubLishing ann arbor MiChigan by Lauren Newman
EMERGING TeCh Chapter 1 Drone Basics I magine being able to soar through the air and see the sights a bird sees in its travels What amazing views would you spy The eye of a hurricane The mouth of a volcano Humans might not have wings but devices called drones can give us a bird’s-eye view of the world Drones are also called unmanned aerial vehi cles UAVs They are aircraft that do not have a pilot or passengers You may also hear drones called uncrewed aerial vehicles or remotely piloted Drones are a great way to see what the world looks like from high above 44
vehicles Up until recently drones were mostly used by the military to complete missions that were too dangerous for a pilot or crew However drones are gaining more popularity with civilians Drones typically fall into one of two categories fixed winged and rotary wing Fixed-wing drones look and function much like airplanes Rotary-wing drones are more like helicopters Drones come in many shapes and sizes Some are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand Others are nearly the size of regular airplanes Most drones are made of lightweight materials to make it easier for them to fly Drones vary in shape size and design However they all have the same basic parts One major part is the frame The frame holds the whole drone together It is usually made from plastic car bon fiber or even wood A drone’s rotors and wings are also very important These keep a drone in the air and help steer it Some other important parts are motors electronic speed controls flight controllers and remote controls Batteries are major parts as well They determine how long a drone can fly Drones are controlled using handheld remote devices or flown from cockpits located somewhere 5 Drones
