What is a Drone ?

What is a Drone ?

It is a type of missile launcher.
It is a computer virus.
It is an unmanned aerial vehicle that can navigate autonomously.
It is a type of inflated boat to rescue marooned people.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2017
The correct answer is C) It is an unmanned aerial vehicle that can navigate autonomously.
A drone, in its most common modern usage, refers to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). These aircraft can be controlled remotely by a human operator or can fly autonomously using pre-programmed flight plans or more complex dynamic automation systems.
While the term “drone” was initially used for military target practice aircraft, it now encompasses a wide range of UAVs used for various purposes including surveillance, photography, delivery, reconnaissance, and military operations. Options A, B, and D describe completely different things (missile launcher, computer virus, rescue boat).