Before the turn of the 20th century, the thought of airplanes — or any kind of aerial machine, for that matter — was purely science fiction.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and drones have completely taken over the spotlight of the sky. The phrase "drone" — or "unmanned aerial vehicle" — is tossed around in news reports on a near-daily basis: Drone Strike Kills 6 in Pakistan; Amazon's Drone Delivery: How Would it Work?

Or, of course, there's even the inevitable: Yes, Drone-Porn Is Now a Thing.

See also: The 19 best drone photos of 2014

So what, exactly, are drones? Killers, surveyors, recreational toys? All three? And what, above everything else, do they mean for our future?

In the video above, take a look at a brief, animated history of the drone revolution, from the very beginnings of aerial warfare up to Facebook's plans to use drones to beam Internet into remote regions of the world. It's best enjoyed with headphones.

Image: Mashable

Special thanks to Arthur Holland Michel and the whole team at the Center for the Study of the Drone (yes, it's a real thing) at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., and Richard Whittle, author of Predator: The Secret Origins of the Drone Revolution, for their razor-sharp knowledge of all-things-aerial.

Want to see more animated videos? Let us know in the comments which topics — from technology to politics — you'd like to see illustrated next.