Drone: meaning, definitions and examples

Can also have a negative connotation when referring to monotonous or boring activities or sounds.

• The professor’s voice was a constant drone that made it hard to stay awake.
• All I could hear was the drone of the engine.

Formal term used in technical documents, legal contexts, and official reports.

• The regulation outlines acceptable uses of unmanned aerial vehicles.
• Unmanned aerial vehicles have a wide range of applications, from agriculture to surveillance.

An acronym for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, often used in military or formal contexts.

• The military uses UAVs for reconnaissance missions.
• The researchers deployed a UAV to survey the coastal area.

Specifically refers to a type of drone with four rotors. Used in technical contexts or when emphasizing the design.

• The quadcopter is very stable and easy to fly.
• He's building a DIY quadcopter for his engineering class.

This is a duplicate; it has the same context and examples as the first 'drone'.

Use 'hum' when referring to a soft, continuous sound, often pleasant or soothing.

• The hum of the refrigerator is barely noticeable.
• She hummed a tune while she worked.

Use 'buzz' for a sound that is sharp, quick, and continuous, typically associated with insects or electronic devices.

• The bees buzzed around the flowers.
• My phone buzzed with notifications all day.

Use 'monotone' to describe a way of speaking or a sound that lacks inflection and can be dull or boring.

• His monotone voice made the speech hard to listen to.
• The teacher's monotone drone could put anyone to sleep.