Classification of Modern Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Abstract

The article examines the issue of classification of unmanned aerial vehicles. The existing classifications of unmanned aerial vehicles are considered, as well as the characteristics by which unmanned aerial vehicles are classified. Like any aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles can be classified by general characteristics such as type of aircraft, size, weight, engine type, degree of autonomy, application, and other characteristics. Due to dynamic development of the field of unmanned aerial vehicles, the number of their classification characteristics is increasing. Due to the rapid development of unmanned aerial vehicles, existing classifications of unmanned aerial vehicles do not consider some existing types of unmanned aerial vehicles. The main goal is to propose a classification of unmanned aerial vehicles, which takes into account great variety of modern unmanned aerial vehicles. The following characteristics were considered, according to which unmanned aerial vehicles are classified, namely - by type of aircraft, by size, by range and endurance, by degree of autonomy, by altitude, by engine type, by take-off and landing principle, by application. As a result of conducted analysis of characteristics by which unmanned aerial vehicles are classified, a classification of unmanned aerial vehicles is proposed based on their characteristics, designs and tasks they perform.