DronoClip
Your drone pilot in the French Riviera for real estate, tourism, wedding, insurance.
Your drone pilot in the French Riviera for real estate, tourism, wedding, insurance.
Drone piloting, even if the pilot remains on the ground, is an activity very similar in language to other aerial activities. A drone glossary is therefore very useful for anyone who wants to get started in this activity. Whether in the fields of aerology, air traffic rules, or drone maintenance, technical terms are everywhere.
This drone glossary is not exhaustive, and I will update it regularly to enrich it.
A drone capable of flying autonomously, often used for transporting people (also called a « drone taxi »).
An advanced radio communication protocol developed by FrSky for its remote control systems.
A former radio communication protocol by FrSky, replaced by ACCESS.
An acrobatic flight mode where only the gyroscope is used to stabilize the drone, without automatic tilt correction.
ActiveTrack is a technology developed by DJI that allows a drone to automatically follow a moving subject. This feature is particularly useful for capturing dynamic videos without manually piloting the drone.
Let’s say you’re cycling in a park and want to capture this activity. With ActiveTrack, you can simply select your image on the DJI Fly app screen.
The drone will then lock onto your position and automatically follow you, adjusting its trajectory to avoid obstacles and maintain a constant distance.
This allows you to focus on your activity without worrying about piloting the drone.
ActiveTrack includes two main modes:
Trace: The drone follows the subject at a constant distance, automatically adjusting its trajectory to avoid obstacles.
Parallel: The drone follows the subject at a constant angle and distance, moving parallel to it.
For more details on using ActiveTrack, you can visit the official DJI website here.
A surveillance system used in aviation to track aircraft in flight. Some drones use it to detect nearby aircraft.
Any heavier-than-air flying device, such as airplanes, helicopters, and drones. An aircraft uses aerodynamic downforce to stay aloft. A glider is therefore also an aircraft, unlike an airship.
An aircraft is a machine capable of flying in the sky, with or without a pilot on board. Both balloons and aerodynes are aircraft.
Aircraft use static force, while aerodynes generate dynamic force to balance their weight. They are often referred to as « lighter » or « heavier » than air.
Altitude is the height at which the drone flies above sea level. It is generally measured in meters or feet. Not to be confused with flight height, which is measured above the ground below the aircraft. Altitude is calculated using a device, a barometric altimeter, which measures the atmospheric pressure where the aircraft is located.
Atmospheric pressure is 1013 hPa at sea level. The higher your aircraft climbs, the lower the atmospheric pressure.
A drone has a GPS system that allows it to position itself in space using satellites and measures its altitude. It also has a pressure sensor that allows it to measure its altitude.
The act of connecting the drone to its remote control. Pairing is essential for the drone to recognize the remote control. Each drone brand offers a specific process for pairing (recognizing) the drone with its remote control and any accessories (e.g., goggles for an FPV drone).
ATTI stands for « Attitude. » A drone flight mode that stabilizes the aircraft in the event of GPS signal loss.
Drones generally have three flight modes: GPS, Atti, or Manual. Atti mode uses only the drone’s altimeter to stabilize its position and allow it to maintain approximately the same altitude. It is recommended to quickly terminate the current flight if ATTI mode remains active for more than a few seconds.
A barometer is a sensor used to measure atmospheric pressure. In drones, it is often used to determine altitude based on air pressure.
Barometers are essential for maintaining a stable altitude, especially in the absence of GPS signals.
Normal atmospheric pressure at sea level is approximately 1013.25 hPa (hectopascals) or 1 atm (atmosphere). This value can vary depending on weather conditions and altitude.
Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude. It generally halves at about 5,500 meters. The relationship between pressure and altitude can be approximated by the following formula:
p = p₀ * exp(-M * g * z / (R * T))
where:
As altitude increases, pressure decreases, which can affect drone performance and altitude measurement accuracy.
Open-source firmware for drone flight controllers, offering extensive configuration and tuning options.
The process of pairing a remote controller with a drone receiver.
Preparation: Ensure your remote controller and drone are charged. Place them near each other.
Bind Mode on the Remote Controller: Turn on your remote controller and access the bind menu. This can vary depending on the model, but generally, you need to hold down a specific button while turning on the remote controller.
Bind Mode on the Drone: Turn on your drone and activate bind mode. This may involve holding down a button or using a tool to press a hidden button.
Pairing: Once the two devices are in bind mode, they should connect automatically. You will usually see a flashing light that turns solid to indicate successful binding.
Test: Test the controls to ensure the drone responds correctly to the remote control’s instructions.
Drone sold without a remote control, requiring pairing with a compatible remote control.
A type of brushless electric motor, offering greater efficiency and durability compared to brushed motors.
BVLOS refers to drone flights conducted outside the pilot’s direct line of sight. Line-of-sight flights are VLOS flights.
BVLOS mode requires special authorizations and advanced communication systems to maintain control of the drone.
The process of adjusting the drone’s sensors to ensure accurate measurements, often necessary for gyroscopes, accelerometers, and compasses.
When to Calibrate a Drone
Before the first flight: To ensure all sensors are working properly.
After a firmware update: Updates can change the drone’s internal settings.
After a crash or repair: Impacts can misalign the sensors.
When changing location or altitude: Magnetic variations can affect the compass.
If you notice abnormal behavior: For example, if the drone drifts or does not maintain its altitude.
For more details, you can consult guides like the one from Meilleurs Drones or video tutorials like the one from Air Photography.
Communication protocol used to allow the various electronic components of a drone to communicate with each other.
A popular open-source flight controller for drones, offering advanced configuration options.
Key Features
Stabilization: Uses gyroscopes and accelerometers to maintain drone stability.
Compatibility: Works with many types of drones, including quadcopters, hexacopters, and more.
Customization: Allows fine-tuning to adapt the drone’s behavior to your specific needs.
Interface: Configuration via a USB interface and software such as OpenPilot or LibrePilot.
Installation and Setup
To install and setup your CC3D flight controller, you can follow detailed tutorials available online. For example, this tutorial explains how to do it step by step.
You can download the software needed to configure your CC3D from the official OpenPilot website.
Maximum altitude at which a drone can safely fly.
European drone regulations define specific maximum altitudes based on flight scenarios and airspace classes. Here is a detailed summary:
For more details, you can consult the DGAC or EASA guidelines.
Using drones to create aerial maps, such as photogrammetry or 3D modeling.
An administrative form used by drone pilots to declare their flights to the prefecture. My drone glossary is useful for decoding the terms used in aviation regulations.
