A "drone aircraft" refers to an unmanned aircraft or a flying machine that can operate without a pilot on board. It is controlled remotely or can fly autonomously following pre-programmed instructions. Full definition
On the surface, military drone aircraft could find and track patches of oil headed for shore as well as conduct surveillance over this now gigantic spill. (dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com)
Inspired perhaps by the success of drone aircraft in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense is funding projects to build machines that walk like us — machines that could carry loads, perform search and rescue, or even assist in combat. (discovermagazine.com)
Experts from the United States and other Arctic nations have developed the first safety guidelines for operating unmanned drone aircraft in international airspace around the circumpolar north. (fm.kuac.org)