Glossary
Professional drone glossary
The acronyms you meet without daring to ask what they mean. One term per page, definition first.
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- AlphaTangoWhat is AlphaTango? Operator registration, flight declarations and DGAC rules — synced with Waypoint360, no double entry.
- BVLOSWhat BVLOS means, why it is regulated so tightly, and what it takes to get there.
- CERFA 15476What the CERFA 15476 is for, when it is required, and why filling it by hand is so painful.
- GSDWhat GSD is, how it is calculated, and why it decides flight height.
- LiDARWhat LiDAR is, how it differs from photogrammetry, and when it becomes necessary.
- MANEXWhat a MANEX is, what it must contain, and what makes it painful to keep current.
- MTOMWhat MTOM covers, why it is not the bare weight of the drone, and the thresholds it triggers.
- NOTAMWhat a NOTAM is, why a zone map is never enough, and where to check before flying.
- OrthophotoWhat an orthophoto is, how it differs from an aerial photo, and what it is used for.
- PhotogrammetryWhat photogrammetry is, what it produces, and what actually decides its accuracy.
- SORAWhat SORA is, what it demands, and why it decides what you are allowed to fly.
- UASWhat UAS means, why it is not a synonym for 'drone', and what it implies for an operator.
- VLOSWhat VLOS means, what the rule actually requires, and when you leave it without noticing.