Topic summary
UAVs
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Unmanned aerial vehicle.
Aircraft configuration
UAVs can be designed in different configurations than manned aircraft, both because there is no need for a cockpit and its windows, and there is no need to optimize for human comfort, although some UAVs are adapted from piloted examples, or are designed for optionally piloted modes. Air safety is also less of a critical requirement for unmanned aircraft, allowing the designer greater freedom to experiment. Instead, UAVs are typically designed around their onboard payloads and their ground equipment. These factors have led to a great variety of airframe and motor configurations in UAVs.