Definition
An aircraft that flies without a pilot on board, controlled either remotely by an operator on the ground or autonomously by an onboard flight system. UAVs range from small hand-launched aircraft to large fixed-wing platforms, and are used for military, surveillance, scientific, commercial, and recreational purposes.
Plain English
An aircraft that flies with no one inside it. Someone on the ground flies it by remote control, or it flies itself using a programmed system.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of drone operations, airspace safety, airport reports, and rules for flying near other aircraft or airports.
Derivation
Unmanned means without a person aboard. Aerial comes from the Latin aer, meaning air, so aerial means relating to the air. Vehicle comes from the Latin vehiculum, meaning a means of transport. Together: a means of air transport with no person aboard.
Why Pilots Care
UAVs share airspace with manned aircraft. Pilots need to know where UAV operations are taking place (often published in NOTAMs) and understand that a mid-air collision risk exists, particularly at low altitudes near airports, events, and infrastructure.
Intuition Check
Unmanned does not mean nobody is controlling it. It means no pilot is physically on board the aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
The NOTAM warned of unmanned aerial vehicle operations within a five-mile radius of the airfield up to 400 feet AGL.
Example Sentence 2
Air traffic control cleared the unmanned aerial vehicle to enter the practice area only after confirming separation from manned traffic.