Carrier Modules

[Ephelemi]

So I haven't played this game for a long time, but decided to try and build some working carrier hangar systems. As I am not much interested in building full sized ships, but more the interesting parts, which are all the logic systems, I have some questions.
I worked out how the carrier recall command works once you have set that ship as mothership. However, would this also work if the drones were docked to a module docked to the mothership or do they really have to be docked to the ship itself for it to work?
Case 1: If it does work, please confirm.
Case 2: If it doesn't work, interprete this as a suggestion for future updates.

 

[Calhoun]

Tested, and it does work.

 

[Edymnion]

Definitely makes for interesting possibilities for loading full drone racks.

 

[Mango888]

Make sure the rail docker is towards the from of the drone. I've had plenty of trouble with vertical docking points and rear mounted dockers. Also launching is not a command and so it's up to you to rig up doors or logic to allow the launch. It seems like the larger the drone the more it has to be set up like a run way for drone retrieval.

 

[Ephelemi]

Thanks for the answers, thats interesting, ive actually already built a prototype hangar including a runway. so i guess making an automated drone rack module is the next step. Any consensus whats the optimal size for a drone?

 

[Edymnion]

Thanks for the answers, thats interesting, ive actually already built a prototype hangar including a runway. so i guess making an automated drone rack module is the next step. Any consensus whats the optimal size for a drone?

There's a pretty wide range there.

My current generation of mining drones are 72 mass at a little over 600 blocks.

Basically though, figure out what you want your drone to do, find the optimal size for that array, and build around that. For mining, I like a single array at 100 blocks. So, I make the 100 block array, then build a suitable shell around it and toss in power/thrusters.

 

[NeonSturm]

New Thanks for the answers, thats interesting, ive actually already built a prototype hangar including a runway. so i guess making an automated drone rack module is the next step. Any consensus whats the optimal size for a drone?

I suggest designing drones at standardized-sizes.
If your combat and mining drones have the same size as other peoples from the community use, content can be shared more easily.

Standard-sizes are:

1 chunk
1 Deck high and a 2:3:5 (height,width,length) assumption with extra pods on the sides …
…​

 

[Macharius]

Hey there, i'v tested it but I have few issues, when "initiate callback to carrier" drones wants to dock on the main ship and not on the module(s) where their docking point is registered, so instead they collide like dummies on the main ship.

When I tried to create a fleet with the "drones module" docked on the same ship they simply won't move, even if the module is member of the fleet etc...

Ehr am I doing something wrong ?... help ? ^_^

 

[MacThule]

Thanks for the answers, thats interesting, ive actually already built a prototype hangar including a runway. so i guess making an automated drone rack module is the next step. Any consensus whats the optimal size for a drone?

Edymnion has the right idea here. There's absolutely no consensus on combat drones, but drone mining is a thing and they tend to be smallish. Build a hangar module capable of handling a decent variety of shapes and sizes under 100 mass in a shape that can be plugged into other ships (probably something roughly rectangular and tending towards squarish for dimensional versatility), share it with the community and it will be used.

 

[Edymnion]

And remember, drones are going to generally be weak and cheap. They aren't going to stand up to much individually, so you need to carry LOTS of them. 3 drones won't cut it. 30 will.