How do I use drones?

All your guides, strategy discussions, request for help on how to play go here. Please use [SPOILER] if relevant.
ViciousGnome
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:55 pm

How do I use drones?

Postby ViciousGnome » Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:58 pm

Sorry for this silly question, but how do I use drones? Where do I equip them, and how do I use them? I love the game, but I'd like to know how to use all my items. Thanks for any help you can provide. :D
Spazticus
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:01 am

Re: How do I use drones?

Postby Spazticus » Wed Sep 19, 2012 1:33 pm

1. Buy (or use a ship that starts with) the Drone Control System. If you buy it, you get a drone by default, but you don't get to choose if it's an offensive or defensive drone. Ships that start with drones always have the same loadout.

2. The space below your weapons in the equipment menu is where you can equip and swap out your drones; you can do this any time you're not in danger (i.e. in battle or in an asteroid field after a battle.)

3. Just as with weapons, you need sufficient power to activate your drones, and this will use up one of your drone reserves. However, system repair and anti personnel drones will remain onboard post-battle, if they survived, and they can be reactivated without spending from your reserves. Likewise, having the Drone Recovery Arm augmentation will pick up any space based drones you sent out (aside from the Hull Repair Drone, which is always consumed on use) saving you some scrap. Note that getting a Drone Recovery Arm early enough can almost guarantee you will never have to buy drones later...unless you're very unlucky.

4. If your Drone room takes damage (or gets hit by ion weapons) while you have active drones, they'll stop functioning until power is restored, but if one or more gets destroyed (e.g. if you have two system repair drones active, but boarders destroy them while the system is down) then reactivating the system will cause a new drone to be spent from your reserves. Otherwise, they usually will be reactivated, and continue whatever they were supposed to be doing.

That should cover the basics.
ViciousGnome
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:55 pm

Re: How do I use drones?

Postby ViciousGnome » Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:13 pm

Thank you for your guidance. I am guessing that the starting ship I am using can't use drones, as the drones section under my weapons says SYSTEM NOT INSTALLED. How do I install the Drone System?
Spazticus
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:01 am

Re: How do I use drones?

Postby Spazticus » Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:20 pm

As far as I am aware, every ship can use them, but the two Engi ships, as well as the Mantis B, actually start with them. The drone system can be bought in a store that sells other systems. Just look through enough stores, and you'll eventually find one.
ViciousGnome
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:55 pm

Re: How do I use drones?

Postby ViciousGnome » Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:23 pm

Thank you for your help! I will look out for them in stores.