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As one Medium drone deals less damage than two Light drones, and one Heavy drone deals less damage than 2.5 Medium drones, it is often best to field a total of 5 drones (using as much bandwidth as possible), even if their sizes vary. | As one Medium drone deals less damage than two Light drones, and one Heavy drone deals less damage than 2.5 Medium drones, it is often best to field a total of 5 drones (using as much bandwidth as possible), even if their sizes vary. | ||
=== | ===Control range=== | ||
You can only command a drone to attack/repair/mine a target if that target is within a certain range of your ship; this range is known as the "drone control range". By default, your control range is 20km, which means that you can only order a drone to attack an enemy ship if it's within 20km of your ship. This range can be extended by training [[#Skills|skills]]: | You can only command a drone to attack/repair/mine a target if that target is within a certain range of your ship; this range is known as the "drone control range". By default, your control range is 20km, which means that you can only order a drone to attack an enemy ship if it's within 20km of your ship. This range can be extended by training [[#Skills|skills]]: | ||
* {{sk|Drone Avionics|mult=yes}}: Increases drone control range by 5km per skill level. | * {{sk|Drone Avionics|mult=yes}}: Increases drone control range by 5km per skill level. | ||
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Drones will not automatically deactivate it their target leaves your control range after ordering them to attack (or even if you lose a target lock on them); they will continue engaging the target until either the target leaves the field, or they are manually reassigned to a new target. However, drones will shut down if they exceed 500km distance from their host ship, or if their host ship activates its warp drive. | Drones will not automatically deactivate it their target leaves your control range after ordering them to attack (or even if you lose a target lock on them); they will continue engaging the target until either the target leaves the field, or they are manually reassigned to a new target. However, drones will shut down if they exceed 500km distance from their host ship, or if their host ship activates its warp drive. | ||
=== | ===Navigation=== | ||
Almost all drones (except the stationary sentry drones) have a built-in [[Lexicon#MWD|microwarp drive (MWD)]], allowing them to travel quickly to engage a target. Once they arrive near their targets, they shut down their MWD, orbit the target, and fire their weapons. This means that, unlike for the other weapons systems in EVE ([[Turrets|lasers, projectiles, hybrids]], and [[Missile Launchers|missiles]]), drones first have to travel to the target, and then stay within range of it in order to apply their damage. In practice, this means that drones will have difficulty against faster, more agile targets, as even though they may be able to catch them thanks to their MWD, they may not be able to stay within weapons range for long (at their non-MWD speed). Larger drones (medium and heavy drones) in particular are almost useless against fast frigates for this reason. | Almost all drones (except the stationary sentry drones) have a built-in [[Lexicon#MWD|microwarp drive (MWD)]], allowing them to travel quickly to engage a target. Once they arrive near their targets, they shut down their MWD, orbit the target, and fire their weapons. This means that, unlike for the other weapons systems in EVE ([[Turrets|lasers, projectiles, hybrids]], and [[Missile Launchers|missiles]]), drones first have to travel to the target, and then stay within range of it in order to apply their damage. In practice, this means that drones will have difficulty against faster, more agile targets, as even though they may be able to catch them thanks to their MWD, they may not be able to stay within weapons range for long (at their non-MWD speed). Larger drones (medium and heavy drones) in particular are almost useless against fast frigates for this reason. | ||
No skill or module affects the orbit speed of drones. | No skill or module affects the orbit speed of drones. | ||
=== | === Flight behavior settings === | ||
[[File:Drone options.png|thumb|right|Modify drone behavior.]] | [[File:Drone options.png|thumb|right|Modify drone behavior.]] | ||
You can modify your drones' default behavior through the drone control window. | You can modify your drones' default behavior through the drone control window. | ||
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This option applies to fighter and fighter-bomber drones (used by capital ships) only. As these drones have built-in warp drives, they can follow your targets even if they warp away - if you want to prevent this (and keep your drones with you), uncheck the box. Disabling the "attack and follow" setting is a good idea if you suspect that your target may warp to a [[POS]] - if your fighter drones follow, they will likely be destroyed by the POS' defences. | This option applies to fighter and fighter-bomber drones (used by capital ships) only. As these drones have built-in warp drives, they can follow your targets even if they warp away - if you want to prevent this (and keep your drones with you), uncheck the box. Disabling the "attack and follow" setting is a good idea if you suspect that your target may warp to a [[POS]] - if your fighter drones follow, they will likely be destroyed by the POS' defences. | ||
=== | === Direct Commands === | ||
You can give the following commands to your drones. Each drone type has a few "primary commands", which relate to its function: | You can give the following commands to your drones. Each drone type has a few "primary commands", which relate to its function: | ||
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Once you give a command to your drones, they start carrying it out in the next server tick. In practice, this means that your drones may take 1-2 seconds to respond after you give a command. | Once you give a command to your drones, they start carrying it out in the next server tick. In practice, this means that your drones may take 1-2 seconds to respond after you give a command. | ||
=== | === Control range === | ||
Your drones can attack/repair/mine anything within your [[Drones#Drone_control_range|drone control range]]. Once you've ordered them to attack a target, your drones will pursue that target anywhere within your drone control range, whether or not you continue to have that target locked. If the target leaves your drone control range, your drones will start to travel back towards you. However, they will not use their microwarpdrives (MWDs), so they will do this very slowly - to get them moving properly again you should manually order them to return and orbit or return and scoop, or give them a new target. <!-- check this! --> | Your drones can attack/repair/mine anything within your [[Drones#Drone_control_range|drone control range]]. Once you've ordered them to attack a target, your drones will pursue that target anywhere within your drone control range, whether or not you continue to have that target locked. If the target leaves your drone control range, your drones will start to travel back towards you. However, they will not use their microwarpdrives (MWDs), so they will do this very slowly - to get them moving properly again you should manually order them to return and orbit or return and scoop, or give them a new target. <!-- check this! --> | ||