Q: What is airdrop

This explains:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5887

It doesn't explain what it is, instead it describes the process.

The process does not work between my iPhone 4S (iOS 7.0.6) and iPad Mini (iOS iOS7.0.6) - there is no way of air dropping between the two.

If you had read the first page of the reference you would have found out that AirDrop doesn't work on the iPhone 4S (only iPhone 5 and later) and that even if it did work on your iPhone it doesn't currently work between iPhones and Macs.

Ah ok. Will it work between my iPad Mini and my MacBook Pro (late 2009 Snow Leopard)?

Between IOS device only.

Tap to enlarge image.

Right -I see.

Snow Leopard isn't iOS then.

I don't really get the Apple operating systems - thought they were all versions of iOS no matter which device.

I guess not!

All iPads, iPhones and iPods use the iOS operating system. All Mac computers use the OS X operating system.

To clarify the above thread:

AirDrop works iOS to iOS device as several have stated above.

But it also works from Mac to Mac, which is not stated above.  The Macs must be new enough to support it.  This explains:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4783

Again, there is no iOS to Mac or Mac to iOS AirDrop.

Thank you eveybody.