How to Fly the Minicopter in Rust
How to fly the Rust Minicopter: 750 scrap at Bandit Camp AirWolf, fuel rate (1 LGF every 2.5 seconds = ~16 minutes on a full 500-LGF tank), full control list and beginner mistakes.
The Minicopter is the entry-level helicopter — cheap, fast and surprisingly hard to fly until you internalise the controls. Bought at Bandit Camp's AirWolf shop for 750 scrap, fuelled with Low Grade Fuel at a rate of 1 LGF every 2.5 seconds. A full 500-LGF tank gives you about 16 minutes 40 seconds of continuous flight.
Step-by-step
Buy from AirWolf
Travel to Bandit Camp, find the AirWolf shop (small building near the helicopter parking pads). The Minicopter costs 750 scrap. After purchase the Mini spawns on the next free pad — wait for it to be visible before queuing another buy. Bandit Camp is a safe zone; you can take your time to fuel up before takeoff.
Fuel before mounting
The Mini spawns with 100 LGF pre-loaded. Add more by pressing the inventory key (default Tab) while next to the pilot seat — the fuel slot accepts up to 500 LGF. Fuel rate is 1 LGF every 2.5 seconds (30 LGF per minute). At max fuel you'll get roughly 16 minutes 40 seconds of flight.
Mount and start
Approach the front seat and press E to mount. The HUD switches to flight mode. The rotor begins spinning the moment you give throttle input — there's no separate ignition step.
Throttle and pitch
W = throttle up (rotor spins faster, you rise and accelerate forward). S = throttle down (descend). Mouse forward/back = pitch (nose tilts to control horizontal speed). Mouse left/right = roll (banks the helicopter). A/D = yaw (rotates the heli on its vertical axis without tilting). The combined inputs are how you actually fly — pitch + throttle for speed, yaw + roll for turning.
Land slow
On approach, drop throttle to about 10-15%, level the rotor (mouse roughly centred), and ease down. Hard impacts damage the heli — every meaningful crash costs metal frags to repair. Always carry a Hammer and 100+ metal frags to patch up after rough landings.
Detailed walkthrough
Most new Rust players try to fly the Minicopter the way they'd fly a quadcopter or a videogame jet — they push W to climb and pitch forward to go fast. The result is the classic beginner crash: the heli rises a few metres, pitches forward, gains horizontal speed, then loses lift and dives nose-first into a tree or rock. The fix is to think of it as a controlled hover. Throttle controls altitude. Pitch controls horizontal direction. To take off, push W until the heli lifts vertically about 10 metres up. Then pitch forward gently with the mouse to start moving horizontally — but keep the throttle high enough that you maintain altitude. To land, the reverse: pitch back to slow horizontal motion, drop throttle gradually to descend, and aim for an open patch of ground or a parking pad. After 30 minutes of practice on a server with a training course (or a friend's plot of empty land) the controls become muscle-memory. The Minicopter is one of the best mobility tools in Rust — once you can land it consistently, monument runs that took 15 minutes by foot become 3-minute heli hops.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Pitching forward on takeoff. Always rise vertically first, then pitch. Pitching while still close to the ground sends the rotor into terrain.
- Underestimating fuel burn. 1 LGF every 2.5 seconds means a 100-LGF starter tank only buys you 4 minutes. Always fuel to 300+ before a serious flight.
- Forgetting the hammer. Every rough landing chips HP off the heli. Without a hammer and metal frags you can't repair, and a damaged Mini eventually catches fire.
- Parking it in the open. Other players will steal an unattended Minicopter the moment you walk away. Land inside or directly next to your base — never on a road or near a monument.
- Confusing the Minicopter with the Scrap Transport Helicopter. Two different vehicles. The Mini seats 2 (pilot + passenger), costs 750 scrap; the Scrap Heli seats 6 with cargo and costs 1,250 scrap.
Pro tips
- Use yaw, not roll, for tight turns. Q/E... actually it's A/D in default keybinds — yaw rotates without tilting and gives you the most control around buildings.
- Hover-aim over enemies. A skilled pilot hovers stable while a passenger rifles down players below. Solo flying can be done one-handed with practice — pilot with mouse, fire with M3.
- Land on roof foundations. Building a flat 2×2 metal roof on top of your base gives you a private heli pad. Triangle foundations work too. Lock the area with code-locked doors below.
- Salvage damaged Minis. A burning Mini drops a small amount of metal frags and scrap when it explodes. Better than nothing if you can't save it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you start the Minicopter in Rust?
Sit in the pilot seat, make sure there's Low Grade Fuel in the fuel slot, then press W. The rotor begins spinning automatically the moment you give throttle input — there's no separate ignition button. You can refuel mid-flight by pressing Tab to open the inventory while seated.
How much does a Minicopter cost in Rust?
750 scrap at Bandit Camp's AirWolf vendor. The bigger Scrap Transport Helicopter (which seats 6 and has a cargo bay) is 1,250 scrap. Both spawn on the parking pads behind the AirWolf shop.
How long does a tank of fuel last in a Minicopter?
The Minicopter burns 1 LGF every 2.5 seconds (30 per minute, 1,800 per hour). The fuel tank holds 500 LGF maximum, giving a max flight time of 16 minutes 40 seconds. The starter tank you get on purchase is 100 LGF, which lasts about 4 minutes.
Can you crash the Minicopter?
Yes — hard impacts damage and eventually destroy it. Crashing into terrain or buildings is the fastest way to lose one. Soft landings cost nothing; medium impacts chip 5-15% HP; hard impacts can write off the heli outright. Always carry a Hammer and metal frags to repair.
Where do you fuel a Minicopter?
Sit in the pilot seat, press Tab for inventory, and put Low Grade Fuel in the fuel slot. The slot is to the left of your character inventory. You can also stand outside the heli and place fuel by interacting with the cockpit fuel-port directly.
Is the Minicopter the same as the Drone?
No. The Minicopter is a manned vehicle you sit in and fly directly — 750 scrap from AirWolf, runs on Low Grade Fuel. 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. See our drone guide for the difference.