After the successes of the first drones in the first Caldari-Gallente war, every empire set out to design a combat drone that suited their particular combat needs, though the small, pilotless tools clearly suited some empires' needs more than others. The Gallente company, CreoDron, has flourished, while the Carthum Conglomerate in Amarr maintains drone production more as a counter to their rival, Khanid Innovation, which stresses a reliance on rocket technology. Minmatar-based Boundless Creation has profited easily from drone production, but not enough to justify a specialized branch of operations; similarly, Ishukone in the Caldari State produces drones simply because demand exists rather than a desire to encourage a reliance upon them.
Like any other drone, a mining drone is simply an extension of a pilot's control. Unlike combat drones, mining drones have no offensive or defensive capabilities. Wastage factors for individual drones can be quite high, but the speed and convenience of having several extra mining lasers at the pilot's disposal outweighs the mineral loss.
|