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What do you call drone pilots other than "drone pilots"?

Joined
Feb 24, 2019
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What term would you use as a nickname for drone pilots and enthusiasts?

I would say "drony" or "dronies" kind of like "groupies" but most people use the term "dronie" to apply to a selfie that was taken via drone.

Possibly "droner" or "droners" but it just doesn't have the right ring to it.
 
The word 'drone' as applied to the type of aircraft we fly isn't appropriate, although most people would call the types of aircraft we fly 'drones' but technically they are wrong. What the military fly to take out the enemy with missile strikes from a remotely operated or autonomous aircraft are drones. Drones are also bees. Drones are not the aircraft we fly. What we fly are sUAS' (small Unmanned Aerial Systems) or sUAVs (small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).

That all said, since I gave up the argument a long time ago I will call them drones too, if only to save myself the stress of banging my head against a hard brick wall.

To answer your question. We are pilots. Pilots who just happen not to sit in a cockpit. Pilots who fly sUAS'
 
@FlushVision I understand that technically, we fly sUAS, but I don't think most pilots tell non-pilots "I own and fly sUAS" or "I am a sUAS Pilot."

If you were talking to a layperson, you would probably say "drone pilot" but I was looking for a "nickname" to refer to drone pilots. :)
 
I also prefer operators; as in, Multi-Rotor Operators. So I would say in the spirit of yet another acronym - we are MRO's.

I hardly ever use the word 'drone' especially around an uninformed or 'layperson', I prefer not to encourage their ignorance or lack of actual knowledge about what we do but; will always take the time to explain to anyone who is actually intellectually curious when the 'D' word is not used.
 
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I settle for "Nerds." If someone wants more I will be ethusiastic.

There are a lot of different variations that one word doesn't cover.
Fixed wing, micro, min, scale, FPV, gas, electric, rubber, static line, I even count rocket flyers among our ranks.
 
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People at work had a nickname for me and I would remind them I was a “perfect” one. :rolleyes:
 
Drone Operators. Hobby Fliers.

Until you have the experience, knowledge, skill, training and Certification....and operate your aircraft in the NAS with consideration to others, safety, within the bounds of the law in an organized, methodical and planned manner..... then I’ll call you a Drone Pilot.
 
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In France everybody calls them drones and it's not worth the breath to try and change them. I've tried. And the word telepilote means unmanned. 15308
 

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