A drone is an unmanned aerial or water vehicle. This means that a drone does not have a pilot on board. It is controlled by means of a control unit (remote control). In addition, a drone can fly on its own. This is done with the help of a computer, which must be programmed for this purpose.

In common usage, the term drone is often associated with the military, but nowadays drones are often used for private or commercial purposes.

Drones usually have at least 3 motors or propellers. The number of propellers also indicates the type of drone. (e.g. a drone with 4 motors or propellers is called a quadrocopter). The general term for this is multicopter.

The law differentiates between unmanned aerial systems and model aircraft depending on the type of use. If the drone is used for sport or recreation, the regulations on model aircraft apply. If a drone is used for commercial or other purposes, it is an unmanned aerial System.