How to Fly the Drone in Rust
How to fly the Rust Drone: T2 workbench unlock, ~500m range from Computer Station (5 HQM + 1 Targeting Computer + 1 RF broadcaster + 1 RF receiver), full controls, marketplace deliveries.
The Drone is Rust's small remote-piloted flying vehicle — controlled from a Computer Station inside your base, used for recon, marketplace deliveries and scouting raid targets without exposing your character. Range is roughly 500 metres (3.33 grid squares) from the Computer Station; lose signal past that and the drone hovers in place until you reconnect.
Step-by-step
Unlock and craft a Drone
Drones are unlocked at Tier 2 Workbench via the tech tree (or research the item itself if you find one). The crafting recipe needs metal fragments, wood and a Targeting Computer — Targeting Computers drop from elite crates, Bradley APC, the Cargo Ship and the locked-crate chain. Pre-built drones also drop occasionally from those same elite-tier sources.
Build a Computer Station
Place a Computer Station in a secure room inside your base. Crafting a Computer Station requires 5 High Quality Metal + 1 Targeting Computer + 1 RF Broadcaster + 1 RF Receiver — both RF parts can be researched at T1 once you have one. The station is the control panel for every drone you own; it doesn't have a range limit on its own — the limit is between station and drone.
Place the drone in the world
Hold the drone item and place it on flat ground (shows a green outline if the spot is valid). Once placed, the drone becomes a deployable entity with its own 6-digit identifier code shown on its body. You can place multiple drones around the map.
Connect via Computer Station
Sit at the Computer Station (press E). Click Add and enter the drone's 6-digit ID code. The drone appears in your station's list. Click it to take control — the camera switches to drone first-person view and you fly remotely. Press F (or move away from the station) to disconnect; the drone hovers in place until you reconnect.
Controls
W/S = forward/backward. A/D = strafe left/right. Q/E = yaw rotation. Mouse = pitch (camera up/down). Space = ascend, Ctrl = descend. Speed is fixed and slow — drones aren't meant to outrun rifle rounds.
Use the marketplace if you don't want to craft
Bandit Camp and Outpost have a Drone Marketplace vendor that delivers ordered items to a Marketplace box at your base via drone. You order through the marketplace UI inside the safe zone, the drone flies the package out, and you collect it from your delivery box. Useful for ordering tea ingredients, kits, or specific items without leaving base.
Detailed walkthrough
Drones are most-useful as a recon tool, not as transport. The standard solo workflow on a serious wipe is: place a drone on the path between your base and a target raid (or a contested monument), connect through your Computer Station, and fly it ahead to scout. You see the target's outer walls, count defenders, spot vending machines, and check whether a Bradley or Patrol Heli is in the area — all without exposing your character. After scouting, disconnect and the drone hovers in place; you can reconnect later to repeat the recon. For marketplace deliveries, the workflow is even simpler: stand at a Bandit Camp marketplace terminal, order your items, pay the scrap fee, then walk back to base and wait for the Marketplace drone to deliver. Most clans run 2-3 drones at fixed scout positions around their base; a drone hovering behind a tree at the front gate is a permanent early-warning system that costs nothing once placed.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Flying past 500m signal range. Lose signal and your drone is just sitting there for any passerby to shoot. Always know where your station is and stay within range.
- Skipping the Computer Station. Drones cannot be flown without a station. Placing a drone without a station to control it is wasting components.
- Treating drones as combat. Drones have ~150 HP and no weapons. Any rifle round destroys them in 1-3 hits. Use them for recon, not assault.
- Leaving drones in the open. An unattended drone is loot for the next player to walk past. Either keep it inside your base or hidden in cover.
- Not adding the drone ID to your station. The 6-digit code on the drone body is what links it to your station. Without entering that code, the drone won't appear in your control list.
Pro tips
- Run multiple drones. Computer Stations support multiple linked drones. Place one near your base for sentry, one along the road, and one at the contested monument you raid most often — switch between them like security cameras.
- Drone over your TC. Hover a drone above your Tool Cupboard from inside the room. If raiders breach, the drone gives you live overhead intel without you having to open the door.
- Pair with Wireless Switch. Connect a drone-mounted RF Receiver to in-base lights or sirens — flicking a switch from the drone triggers your home alert system.
- Don't drone the Cargo Ship. Cargo's anti-drone scripts shoot drones automatically. Same with Bradley. Stick to recon at base or contested-but-non-NPC areas.
Frequently asked questions
How do you control a Drone in Rust?
Through a Computer Station — place the station in your base, sit at it, add the drone's 6-digit ID code, then pilot it remotely with WASD/Q/E/Space/Ctrl. The drone is independent of your character and continues hovering when you disconnect; you can return to it anytime.
What's the range of a Drone in Rust?
Roughly 500 metres (about 3.33 grid squares) from the Computer Station. Past that range, the drone loses signal and hovers in place until you reconnect — meaning you can't fly it back automatically. Always plan flight routes within base range, or place stations strategically around the map.
Can drones be shot down in Rust?
Yes — drones have around 150 HP and any rifle round destroys them in 1-3 shots. They're explicitly designed for recon and marketplace use, not combat. Don't fly them aggressively over hostile players unless you're prepared to lose them.
How do you craft a Drone in Rust?
The drone is unlocked at the Tier 2 Workbench tech tree. The recipe requires metal fragments, wood and one Targeting Computer (a rare drop from elite crates, Bradley, Cargo Ship and locked-crate chains). You also need a Computer Station to fly it, which itself costs 5 HQM + 1 Targeting Computer + 1 RF Broadcaster + 1 RF Receiver.
Is a Drone the same as a Minicopter in Rust?
No. The Minicopter is a manned helicopter you sit in and fly directly — 750 scrap at Bandit Camp, runs on Low Grade Fuel, used for transport. The Drone is a small remote-controlled craft you pilot from a Computer Station inside your base — used for recon and marketplace deliveries, not transport.
What is the Marketplace Drone?
Bandit Camp and Outpost both have a marketplace vendor that lets you order items and have them delivered to a Marketplace box at your base via drone. You pay scrap for the item plus a small delivery fee, and the drone autopilots the package to your base. Useful for ordering specific recipe ingredients without leaving home.