Drones, which are sometimes referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are self-propelled machines that move through the air without the use of a pilot (8). First developed during World War II for military use, drones were almost exclusively used by the military until recent decades with the advancement and affordability of technology making them easily available to the general public (8).
Drones can be classified into two basic types – rotary and fixed wing.
Rotary drones tend to be smaller and more affordable, making them the most common type of drone (you can easily get them on Amazon). They tend to have 3 to 4 propellors that elevate the device, similar to a helicopter. However, the use of the multiple propellors, it is unable to glide requiring the use of a lot of power. Typically, rotary drones have a reduced range and sometimes require a line-of-sight from the person operating it on the ground. One of the most important advantages of the rotary drone is its unique ability to hover over a specific location. Rotary drones are now commonly used by law enforcement to follow suspects, monitor crowds and patrol borders (8).
Fixed-wing drones look like mini airplanes and have the ability to travel farther distances than rotary drones because of their ability to glide. This also makes them unable to hover in a single location (8).
Bird's Eye View 