On March 2nd, 2023, the "Eye in the Sky" update for Rust was introduced. This update added the drone and computer station, giving players more creative options to perform reconnaissance. In Rust, utilizing drones can give you a significant strategic edge over your neighbors. In using drones, you can provide your team a competitive edge by seeing roamers before they catch you off guard. This detailed guide explores how to use drones in Rust, focusing on how to find, purchase, craft, and pilot these high-tech recon devices to gain a competitive edge against your neighbors.
How to Find a Drone Blueprint in Rust
To find a drone blueprint in Rust, you can start by visiting high-tech monuments like the Airfield, Launch Site, or Military Tunnels. All of these monuments have Treasure Boxes, Locked Crates, and Elite Tier Crates. According to RustLabs, there is also a very small chance to find a drone blueprint on dead scientists. Below is a table with all the different odds for each container type.
| Container | Condition | Amount | Chance to Find |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treasure Box | 100% | 1–2 | 2% |
| Locked Crate | 100% | 1–2 | 2% |
| Elite Tier Crate | 100% | 1–2 | 1% |
| Military Crate | 100% | 1 | 0.5% |
| Underwater Lab Yellow Crate | 100% | 1 | 0.5% |
| Wagon Military Crate | 100% | 1 | 0.5% |
| NVG Scientist | 100% | 1 | 0.4% |
| Cargo Ship Scientist | 100% | 1 | 0.1% |
| Oil Rig Scientist | 100% | 1 | 0.1% |
| Heavy Scientist With Flamethrower | 100% | 1 | 0.09% |
| Military Base Scientist | 100% | 1 | 0.09% |
| Excavator Scientist | 100% | 1 | 0.09% |
| Patrol Scientist | 100% | 1 | 0.07% |
| Arctic Scientist | 100% | 1 | 0.07% |
| Heavy Scientist | 100% | 1 | 0.07% |
| Heavy Scientist With Minigun | 100% | 1 | 0.06% |
If you do not want to scavenge for a drone, you can also buy or craft a drone to get the blueprint by researching it with a research table.
How to Buy a Drone in Rust
To buy a drone in Rust:
- Gather Resources: Start by collecting Scrap, which is essential for purchasing drones. You can acquire Scrap through various activities such as looting, recycling, and completing missions within Rust.
- Locate Vending Machines: Drones can be purchased from vending machines found in Bandit Camp and Outpost. These zones are free from player versus player (PVP) conflicts, allowing for safe transactions. You can use the drone delivery system (shown below) to look at all of the vending machines at once.
- Make the Purchase: Go to the drone station within the safe zone. You will want to purchase a computer station. Ensure you have sufficient Scrap to complete the purchase. If there is a drone available for purchase through the vending machines in the drone delivery marketplace, you can buy it. Depending on the map that you are playing on, a drone may or may not be available for purchase.
If you are unable to find a drone for purchase, you will need to scavenge for one by running the monuments shown above.
How to Craft a Drone in Rust
To craft a drone in Rust, you will need a drone blueprint, 200 metal fragments, and a CCTV camera. You will need a Tier II Workbench to craft a drone.
To set up a drone, you will need to place your drone down. Press E on your drone, and set an ID. Take note of this ID. Once you have your ID, open your computer station, and add the ID you have noted in the bottom left.
How to Fly a Drone in Rust
To fly a drone in Rust, enter the computer station, use shift key to go airborne, then steer with your mouse while using WASD to strafe. You can use the Ctrl button to descend back down.
Drones in Rust have a limit of 500 meters, and can be shot down pretty easily (3 pistol bullets), so make sure you don't get seen by the people you are watching!