Flying robots in the sky
A DRONE is a small flying machine controlled from the ground, and this word search gathers how it works. You'll be finding the four-armed QUADCOPTER, the spinning PROPELLER and ROTOR that lift it, the REMOTE CONTROLLER the PILOT uses, and the way it can HOVER in mid-air.
Each puzzle pulls a fresh selection from the list, so the words change every time you play — gentle on Easy, and a longer-word challenge once the diagonals and backwards words appear on Hard.
Cameras, flight and footage
Drones do all sorts of clever jobs, and the words are here. Many carry a CAMERA on a steady GIMBAL to film amazing AERIAL FOOTAGE from high in the SKY. They run on a rechargeable BATTERY, use GPS to know where they are, and some carry a PAYLOAD for DELIVERY. A drone can climb to a high ALTITUDE, hold a steady FLIGHT, and zip about with a gentle BUZZ as its blades keep SPINNING — and a SENSOR helps it avoid crashing.
How four little rotors stay so steady
A QUADCOPTER's secret is its four rotors and a tiny computer that adjusts their speed thousands of times a second. To rise, all four spin faster; to glide forward, the back two speed up and tip the drone gently; to turn, opposite pairs change speed. A human couldn't possibly juggle all that by hand, so the onboard computer does the balancing — which is exactly why a modern drone can HOVER so calmly in one spot while you simply nudge the CONTROLLER. A GIMBAL then keeps the CAMERA perfectly level even as the drone tilts, giving that smooth, floating AERIAL FOOTAGE.
That mix of camera and clever flight has opened up jobs no other machine can do as cheaply. Drones inspect tall bridges and wind turbines without anyone climbing them, map fields so farmers know exactly where to water, search for lost hikers using heat sensors, and dazzle crowds in light shows where hundreds fly in formation as flying pixels. Companies are even testing DELIVERY drones that drop a PAYLOAD at your door. With GPS, sensors and real physics packed into one buzzing gadget, drones make a brilliant technology or flight topic.
Great for a technology topic
It's a great fit for a technology or flight lesson — Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words. Play online, print a PDF pack, or use Make Your Own to build a grid from your own drone words.
Frequently asked questions
What's in the Drones word search?
How drones work — the quadcopter, propeller and rotor, the remote controller and pilot, plus the camera, gimbal, battery, GPS and sensors, and words like hover, aerial, footage, payload and altitude. Each puzzle uses a fresh mix.
How does a drone work?
A four-armed QUADCOPTER lifted by a spinning PROPELLER and ROTOR, flown by a PILOT with a REMOTE CONTROLLER and able to HOVER — carrying a CAMERA on a GIMBAL for AERIAL FOOTAGE, with a BATTERY, GPS and a SENSOR to avoid crashes.
Is it good for a technology topic?
Great fit for a technology or flight lesson. Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words.