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What is the definining line between a helicopter and a drone a person can ride in?

6

$begingroup$

When I say drone in this context I don't mean an unmanned aircraft. I'm not sure what the terminology of a drone that has been adapted to carry a person? Is this picture below considered a helicopter or what? What if it ran on petroleum?

If not, then how is the separation between a VTOL aircraft and helicopter defined?

helicopter aircraft-identification

share|improve this question

edited 4 mins ago

Muze

asked 2 hours ago

MuzeMuze

1798

New contributor

Muze is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

6

$begingroup$

When I say drone in this context I don't mean an unmanned aircraft. I'm not sure what the terminology of a drone that has been adapted to carry a person? Is this picture below considered a helicopter or what? What if it ran on petroleum?

If not, then how is the separation between a VTOL aircraft and helicopter defined?

helicopter aircraft-identification

share|improve this question

edited 4 mins ago

Muze

asked 2 hours ago

MuzeMuze

1798

New contributor

Muze is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

When I say drone in this context I don't mean an unmanned aircraft. I'm not sure what the terminology of a drone that has been adapted to carry a person? Is this picture below considered a helicopter or what? What if it ran on petroleum?

If not, then how is the separation between a VTOL aircraft and helicopter defined?

helicopter aircraft-identification

share|improve this question

edited 4 mins ago

Muze

asked 2 hours ago

MuzeMuze

1798

New contributor

Muze is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 4 mins ago

Muze

asked 2 hours ago

MuzeMuze

1798

New contributor

Muze is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 4 mins ago

Muze

asked 2 hours ago

MuzeMuze

1798

New contributor

Muze is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 2 hours ago

MuzeMuze

1798

New contributor

Muze is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 2 hours ago

MuzeMuze

1798

2 Answers
2

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oldest

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3

$begingroup$

I would just call it a VTOL aircraft. Those kind of multi-rotor VTOLs do kind of blur the line between VTOL and helicopter, but a practical way to define them could be to separate them by a key capability; the ability to glide.

A helicopter has a rotary wing that is driven forward by a power source like an airplane, but can also change pitch and glide downhill, like an airplane. A rotor is just two fuselage-less airplanes joined at the wingtips being driven in a circle by a twisting force applied at the wing tip instead of a propeller out at mid span.

A multi-rotor VTOL with small fixed pitch rotors can't glide, which is why you won't get me in one unless it has multiple levels of redundancy with NO single-points-of-failure or double-points-of-failure modes for that matter (like say being able to take damage to both rotors on one corner for example, and still maintain control).

share|improve this answer

answered 49 mins ago

John KJohn K

26.2k13981

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  "A rotor is just two fuselage-less airplanes" It can be more than two.
  $endgroup$
  – Acccumulation
  15 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

7

$begingroup$

A helicopter is an aircraft in which thrust and lift are provided by rotors.

A drone is an unmanned, self-piloted or remotely-controlled aircraft, which can use rotors to provide thrust and lift, but can also use other means such as propellers or turbines.

To put it in simpler terms, a helicopter can only be a helicopter, regardless of whether it has a human inside or not. A drone can be any kind of aircraft.

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez

3,395527

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I updated my question what do you think? +1 for helping.
  $endgroup$
  – Muze
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I know some people like to clarify it even further and insist that a "drone" is a self-piloting unmanned craft, rather than one remote-controlled by a human on the ground. There are people (mostly military) who get really offended when you refer to a human-controlled unmanned craft as a "drone". (Much like the infamous boat vs. ship debate - do NOT get that wrong in front of Navy people...)
  $endgroup$
  – Darrel Hoffman
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  A drone with a ground operator pretty much flies itself. The operator is there mostly to command changes to mission profile and make the kinds of life and death decisions the computer can't make (and even that will eventually be done away with with the use of machine learning). If I am not mistaken, all the autonomous and ground-operated drones have the capability to fly home on their own, either when commanded or if they lose contact with home base.
  $endgroup$
  – Juan Jimenez
  53 mins ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  "do NOT get that wrong in front of Navy people..." It depends on the Navy people you are in front of. I was a Naval Aviator and we called everything that floated a boat! :) Surface types don't share the same sense of humor though.
  $endgroup$
  – Michael Hall
  51 mins ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  A drone is generally useless unless it flies some sort of payload. Just because the payload is a sack of water and meat doesn't mean it's not a drone. :)
  $endgroup$
  – Juan Jimenez
  51 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 4 more comments

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3

$begingroup$

I would just call it a VTOL aircraft. Those kind of multi-rotor VTOLs do kind of blur the line between VTOL and helicopter, but a practical way to define them could be to separate them by a key capability; the ability to glide.

A helicopter has a rotary wing that is driven forward by a power source like an airplane, but can also change pitch and glide downhill, like an airplane. A rotor is just two fuselage-less airplanes joined at the wingtips being driven in a circle by a twisting force applied at the wing tip instead of a propeller out at mid span.

A multi-rotor VTOL with small fixed pitch rotors can't glide, which is why you won't get me in one unless it has multiple levels of redundancy with NO single-points-of-failure or double-points-of-failure modes for that matter (like say being able to take damage to both rotors on one corner for example, and still maintain control).

share|improve this answer

answered 49 mins ago

John KJohn K

26.2k13981

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  "A rotor is just two fuselage-less airplanes" It can be more than two.
  $endgroup$
  – Acccumulation
  15 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

$begingroup$

I would just call it a VTOL aircraft. Those kind of multi-rotor VTOLs do kind of blur the line between VTOL and helicopter, but a practical way to define them could be to separate them by a key capability; the ability to glide.

A helicopter has a rotary wing that is driven forward by a power source like an airplane, but can also change pitch and glide downhill, like an airplane. A rotor is just two fuselage-less airplanes joined at the wingtips being driven in a circle by a twisting force applied at the wing tip instead of a propeller out at mid span.

A multi-rotor VTOL with small fixed pitch rotors can't glide, which is why you won't get me in one unless it has multiple levels of redundancy with NO single-points-of-failure or double-points-of-failure modes for that matter (like say being able to take damage to both rotors on one corner for example, and still maintain control).

share|improve this answer

answered 49 mins ago

John KJohn K

26.2k13981

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  "A rotor is just two fuselage-less airplanes" It can be more than two.
  $endgroup$
  – Acccumulation
  15 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

I would just call it a VTOL aircraft. Those kind of multi-rotor VTOLs do kind of blur the line between VTOL and helicopter, but a practical way to define them could be to separate them by a key capability; the ability to glide.

A helicopter has a rotary wing that is driven forward by a power source like an airplane, but can also change pitch and glide downhill, like an airplane. A rotor is just two fuselage-less airplanes joined at the wingtips being driven in a circle by a twisting force applied at the wing tip instead of a propeller out at mid span.

A multi-rotor VTOL with small fixed pitch rotors can't glide, which is why you won't get me in one unless it has multiple levels of redundancy with NO single-points-of-failure or double-points-of-failure modes for that matter (like say being able to take damage to both rotors on one corner for example, and still maintain control).

share|improve this answer

answered 49 mins ago

John KJohn K

26.2k13981

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 49 mins ago

John KJohn K

26.2k13981

answered 49 mins ago

John KJohn K

26.2k13981

answered 49 mins ago

John KJohn K

26.2k13981

7

$begingroup$

A helicopter is an aircraft in which thrust and lift are provided by rotors.

A drone is an unmanned, self-piloted or remotely-controlled aircraft, which can use rotors to provide thrust and lift, but can also use other means such as propellers or turbines.

To put it in simpler terms, a helicopter can only be a helicopter, regardless of whether it has a human inside or not. A drone can be any kind of aircraft.

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez

3,395527

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I updated my question what do you think? +1 for helping.
  $endgroup$
  – Muze
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I know some people like to clarify it even further and insist that a "drone" is a self-piloting unmanned craft, rather than one remote-controlled by a human on the ground. There are people (mostly military) who get really offended when you refer to a human-controlled unmanned craft as a "drone". (Much like the infamous boat vs. ship debate - do NOT get that wrong in front of Navy people...)
  $endgroup$
  – Darrel Hoffman
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  A drone with a ground operator pretty much flies itself. The operator is there mostly to command changes to mission profile and make the kinds of life and death decisions the computer can't make (and even that will eventually be done away with with the use of machine learning). If I am not mistaken, all the autonomous and ground-operated drones have the capability to fly home on their own, either when commanded or if they lose contact with home base.
  $endgroup$
  – Juan Jimenez
  53 mins ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  "do NOT get that wrong in front of Navy people..." It depends on the Navy people you are in front of. I was a Naval Aviator and we called everything that floated a boat! :) Surface types don't share the same sense of humor though.
  $endgroup$
  – Michael Hall
  51 mins ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  A drone is generally useless unless it flies some sort of payload. Just because the payload is a sack of water and meat doesn't mean it's not a drone. :)
  $endgroup$
  – Juan Jimenez
  51 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 4 more comments

7

$begingroup$

A helicopter is an aircraft in which thrust and lift are provided by rotors.

A drone is an unmanned, self-piloted or remotely-controlled aircraft, which can use rotors to provide thrust and lift, but can also use other means such as propellers or turbines.

To put it in simpler terms, a helicopter can only be a helicopter, regardless of whether it has a human inside or not. A drone can be any kind of aircraft.

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez

3,395527

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I updated my question what do you think? +1 for helping.
  $endgroup$
  – Muze
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I know some people like to clarify it even further and insist that a "drone" is a self-piloting unmanned craft, rather than one remote-controlled by a human on the ground. There are people (mostly military) who get really offended when you refer to a human-controlled unmanned craft as a "drone". (Much like the infamous boat vs. ship debate - do NOT get that wrong in front of Navy people...)
  $endgroup$
  – Darrel Hoffman
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  A drone with a ground operator pretty much flies itself. The operator is there mostly to command changes to mission profile and make the kinds of life and death decisions the computer can't make (and even that will eventually be done away with with the use of machine learning). If I am not mistaken, all the autonomous and ground-operated drones have the capability to fly home on their own, either when commanded or if they lose contact with home base.
  $endgroup$
  – Juan Jimenez
  53 mins ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  "do NOT get that wrong in front of Navy people..." It depends on the Navy people you are in front of. I was a Naval Aviator and we called everything that floated a boat! :) Surface types don't share the same sense of humor though.
  $endgroup$
  – Michael Hall
  51 mins ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  A drone is generally useless unless it flies some sort of payload. Just because the payload is a sack of water and meat doesn't mean it's not a drone. :)
  $endgroup$
  – Juan Jimenez
  51 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 4 more comments

$begingroup$

A helicopter is an aircraft in which thrust and lift are provided by rotors.

A drone is an unmanned, self-piloted or remotely-controlled aircraft, which can use rotors to provide thrust and lift, but can also use other means such as propellers or turbines.

To put it in simpler terms, a helicopter can only be a helicopter, regardless of whether it has a human inside or not. A drone can be any kind of aircraft.

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez

3,395527

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 42 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez

3,395527

answered 1 hour ago

Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez

3,395527

answered 1 hour ago

Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez

3,395527