Editing Unmanned aerial vehicle (section)

===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.

For conventional flight the [[flying wing]] and [[blended wing body]] offer light weight combined with low [[drag (aerodynamics)|drag]] and [[stealth aircraft|stealth]], and are popular configurations for many use cases. Larger types which carry a variable payload are more likely to feature a distinct [[fuselage]] with a tail for stability, control and trim, although the [[wing configuration]]s in use vary widely.

For uses that require vertical flight or hovering, the tailless [[quadcopter]] requires a relatively simple control system and is common for smaller UAVs. [[Multirotor]] designs with 6 or more rotors is more common with larger UAVs, where redundancy is prioritized.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Torres-Sánchez |first1=Jorge |last2=López-Granados |first2=Francisca |last3=Castro |first3=Ana Isabel De |last4=Peña-Barragán |first4=José Manuel |date=2013-03-06 |title=Configuration and Specifications of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for Early Site Specific Weed Management |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=e58210 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0058210 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=3590160 |pmid=23483997|bibcode=2013PLoSO...858210T |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Torres-Sánchez |first1=Jorge |last2=López-Granados |first2=Francisca |last3=De Castro |first3=Ana Isabel |last4=Peña-Barragán |first4=José Manuel |date=2013 |title=Configuration and specifications of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for early site specific weed management |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=e58210 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0058210 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=3590160 |pmid=23483997|bibcode=2013PLoSO...858210T |doi-access=free }}</ref>