aerobotn.
/ˈɛːrəʊˌbɒt/, U.S. /ˈɛroʊˌbɑt/ Aeronautics and Astronautics.
A robot-controlled aircraft, typically pilotless. Also: an automated package of instruments for use in interplanetary exploration.
ΚΠ
1987 Business Jrnl. (Sacramento, Calif.) (Nexis) 28 Sept. i. 2 The company's smaller, tire-sized ‘aerobots’ have attracted attention from the Pentagon.
1995 Omni (Electronic ed.) Apr. 18 The ES20-10 Aerobot is already proving its value in tests by the California Department of Transportation.
1998 New Scientist 17 Oct. 36/3 The advantage of an aerobot is that it could take these instruments to within 5 kilometres of the Martian surface.
2000 Newsweek 1 Jan. 66/3 The balloonlike Titan Biologic Aerobot..will analyze that giant moon's climate and search for prebiotic chemicals.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1987