At a drone conference in Washington, D.C., last year, the trade group running the event sent a not-so-subtle message to the journalists there: The Wi-Fi password was DONTSAYDRONES in the press room.

As the drone industry takes off, many people in it say it needs a different name. They say “drone” suggests the devices are dumb, it is technically inaccurate and now has a militaristic reputation. Unmanned-aircraft advocates scold reporters and even congressmen who use the term.

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