Definition
A small unmanned aircraft (weighing less than 55 pounds on takeoff, including everything on board or attached) together with the associated equipment needed to operate it safely and efficiently in the National Airspace System, such as the control station, data links, control links, support equipment, payload, and command-and-control components.
Plain English
A drone that weighs under 55 pounds at takeoff, plus all the gear used to fly it — the controller, the radio link between the controller and the drone, and any cameras or other equipment it carries.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in FAA material about drone operations, airspace permission, and rules for flying near other aircraft.
Derivation
‘Unmanned’ means no pilot on board; ‘system’ signals that the aircraft alone isn’t the whole picture — the ground controller and radio link are part of it too. The 55-pound cutoff is what makes it ‘small’ in the regulatory sense.
Why Pilots Care
Understanding this term helps manned pilots recognize drone operations in shared airspace and avoid conflicts under FAA rules.
Analogy
Think of it like a remote-control car setup: the car alone is not the whole setup. The handheld controller and the signal between them are part of what makes it work.
Intuition Check
“Small” does not just mean physically tiny here; it means under 55 pounds at takeoff. “Unmanned” does not mean no human is controlling it; it means no person is inside the aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
The NOTAM warned of sUAS activity below 400 feet within a two-mile radius of the stadium.
Example Sentence 2
Air traffic control advised nearby traffic of small unmanned aircraft system activity near the airport.