The International Civil Aviation Organization defines "aircraft" as "any machine that can derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air other than the reactions of the air against the earth's surface." It defines "autonomous aircraft" as "an unmanned aircraft that does not allow pilot intervention in the management of the flight." "Unmanned aircraft" is defined as "an aircraft which is intended to operate with no pilot on board" and "unmanned aircraft system" is defined as "an aircraft and its associated elements which are operated with no pilot on board."

A "drone" is an unmanned aerial vehicle or unmanned aerial system.

Endorsements for farm liability and farm umbrella use the following definitions:

1. "Unmanned aircraft system" means the "unmanned aircraft", and all of the associated support equipment, control station, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation equipment, etc., necessary to operate the "unmanned aircraft". Desktop or laptop computers and cellular phones are not considered support equipment.

2. "Unmanned aircraft" means the flying portion of the system, either fixed-wing or rotary-wing and flown by a ground control system, or autonomously through the use of an on-board computer, communication links, and any additional equipment that is necessary for the "unmanned aircraft" to operate safely. An "unmanned aircraft" must be incapable of carrying humans, animals, or cargo exceeding 20 pounds, and solely used in "precision agricultural operations. Cargo does not mean a camera attached to the "unmanned aircraft" used for "precision agricultural operations. Maximum speed of the "unmanned aircraft" must be less than 70 miles per hour.

Thus, you can see that all drones—regardless of their designed for purpose or use—are aircraft.