Unmanned aerial vehicle operators supporting the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, start the engine of a VBAT Unmanned Aerial System during preflight checks aboard amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD 27), Sept. 5, 2021. Portland, part of the USS Essex Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 11th MEU, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. ( Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Alexis Flores)
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller and a system of communications with the UAV. The flight of UAVs may operate under remote control by a human operator, as remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA), or with various degrees of autonomy, such as autopilot assistance, up to fully autonomous aircraft that have no provision for human intervention. UAVs were originally developed through the twentieth century for military missions too "dull, dirty or dangerous" for humans, and by the twenty-first, they had become essential assets to most militaries. As control technologies improved and costs fell, their use expanded to many non-military applications. These include forest fire monitoring, aerial photography, product deliveries, agriculture, policing and surveillance, infrastructure inspections, entertainment, science,[ smuggling, and drone racing.
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