idiot resistant vs idiot proof
I found these two phrases ( idiot-resistant, idiot-proof) in the following sentence( its an article from wsj about drone-selfie):

And yet, drones also give me new-tech vertigo. Every time I launched one of these flying lawn mowers, I was a bit terrified that I might get in trouble, hurt someone or hit something expensive. The navigation technology built into the two popular models that I used, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 ($300) and DJI Phantom Vision+ ($1,300), is idiot-resistant, but not idiot-proof. Although no animals (or humans) were harmed in the making of this article, I did manage to lose a drone. I think it's stuck in a palm tree.

I have looked into dictionary but only found the defintion of idiot-proof: extremely easy to operate or maintain; impossible to mess up or misuse.

on this note, sometimes i also see terms like water-resistant, water-proof. Could anyone be kind enough to give me some pointers?

Question

idiot resistant vs idiot proof
I found these two phrases ( idiot-resistant, idiot-proof) in the following sentence( its an article from wsj about drone-selfie):

And yet, drones also give me new-tech vertigo. Every time I launched one of these flying lawn mowers, I was a bit terrified that I might get in trouble, hurt someone or hit something expensive. The navigation technology built into the two popular models that I used, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 ($300) and DJI Phantom Vision+ ($1,300), is idiot-resistant, but not idiot-proof. Although no animals (or humans) were harmed in the making of this article, I did manage to lose a drone. I think it's stuck in a palm tree.

I have looked into dictionary but only found the defintion of idiot-proof: extremely easy to operate or maintain; impossible to mess up or misuse.

on this note, sometimes i also see terms like water-resistant, water-proof. Could anyone be kind enough to give me some pointers?

Answer

Yes, this passage uses "idiot resistant" and "idiot proof" in the same way that we use "water resistant" and "water proof."

A watch that is "water proof" is one that can be used under water and it will not break. This is also called a "diver's watch."

A "water-resistant" watch is one that can get wet and probably not break. You can maybe even drop it into your fish bowl and then take it out again and it will still work. But it is not meant to be used for long or repeated use in water.

Thus, an idiot-resistent device is a device that an idiot may eventually break.

An idiot-proof device is one that an idiot is not supposed to be able to break, no matter how ignorant he is of how to properly use the device.
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If you want to read a lot of detail about water-resistant, voila:

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Water+resistant

Answer

Expanding on Alan's answer, the difference between "proof" and "resistant"  is used with water, fire, oil, shock, et cetera. The terms are used as a standard of resilience and survivability in design engineering. The terms are used colloquially as a joke, such as "idiot proof" and "idiot resistant." As Alan said, "resistant" means that in general, the force of choice (water, fire, idiots) will not harm the product, unless it is applied to the extreme, e.g., I can wear my water-resistant watch in the shower, or if it gets rain on it, it will still work. However, if I drop it into a swimming pool, then it may be damaged by the water pressure breaking its seal and ruining the motion, or the electronics. A water-proof watch will survive being submerged many fathoms, up to a specified limit.

Answer

This question made me laugh a little. Great terms!