A Comprehensive Survey on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): Types, Structural Components, Communication Systems, and Operating Platforms

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, have experienced rapid growth and widespread adoption across military and civilian applications in recent years. This paper offers a comprehensive survey of UAV technologies, focusing on their classifications, structural components, communication systems, and operating platforms. UAVs are categorized based on size, range, and altitude capabilities. Key structural elements such as frames, propulsion systems, sensors, and control mechanisms are examined. The paper also addresses communication requirements, architectures, protocols, and associated challenges. Furthermore, it reviews real time operating systems utilized in UAVs, high-lighting their design considerations. The survey concludes by identifying emerging trends and future research directions in UAV development, providing valuable insights for both newcomers and seasoned researchers in the field.