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UAV

American  
  1. unmanned aircraft (or aerial) vehicle: an aircraft that can navigate without a human pilot on board; a drone.

    UAVs guided by GPS.


UAV British  

abbreviation

  1. unmanned aerial vehicle

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of UAV

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"If a hostile regime survives, it will likely seek to begin a years-long effort to rebuild its military, missiles and UAV forces," Gabbard said, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.

From Barron's

The Mohajer-6, a combat UAV with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, is manufactured by QAI.

From The Wall Street Journal

“There are classes of UAV that have the same range, but very few that are as difficult to detect or that carry the kinds of sensors and weapons to that of a F-35,” said Douglas Barrie, a specialist in military aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank.

From The Wall Street Journal

More than 70% of Ukrainian casualties are now the result of drones, while Russia has lost thousands of tanks and armed vehicles to UAV attacks.

From The Wall Street Journal

We don’t believe “every object is a bird, a balloon or a UAV,” the director of the Pentagon office tasked with digging into the cases, Jon Kosloski, told lawmakers in 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal