Abstract
Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) or drones, have become the prevalent means of taking SFAP from low heights in the geosciences as well as in many other geospatial applications and research disciplines. This chapter gives a comprehensive overview of fixed-wing, multirotor, and hybrid VTOL UAS of the micro and mini categories as well as their common components. Characteristics of flight-control systems and autopilots, ground-control stations, communication systems, and navigation modes are examined. The pros and cons of different approaches become clear when specific designs, flying behaviors, and practical uses of fixed-wing and multirotor aircraft are discussed along with exemplary models.
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