The ultimate drone R&D thread

[StormWing0]

If you are moving firing them out the back might be healthier on the collision checks since you could move at any speed and just need to not turn while launching. Unlike a lot of the launchers that need you to be sitting still.

 

[solarapple]

The thing is though I wan't them to literally eject by push beams. I'll try and make something like that and if it doesn't work ill post it here and see if anyone can find out what's wrong.

 

[Keptick]

The thing is though I wan't them to literally eject by push beams. I'll try and make something like that and if it doesn't work ill post it here and see if anyone can find out what's wrong.

You just have to make sure that the beams shoot the drone's center of mass and that they're powerful enough. Works like a charm ^_^

 

[solarapple]

So I was going to work on my redbox carrier and instead got carried away and started making mini drones and will probably spend the early morning building PA related stuff except my game lags near planets so I have to test them on community stations.

 

[Keptick]

Guys, I'm getting a feeling that:

Drones + Slabs = Magic

 

[solarapple]

Guys, iactuallydidathingandmadeadronerack.

 

[Keptick]

Hey guys, with magnetic docking it should be totally possible to make drone rack auto-loaders on stations! Also, if your racks are extrnal you can make a clever use of area triggers to trigger the undocking of the drones, meaning that you won't even have to manually hook up any wireless logic!

Now, if only there was a way to undock things from shipyards with logic, the entire production + docking to ship process could be automated.

 

[AtraUnam]

Now, if only there was a way to undock things from shipyards with logic, the entire production + docking to ship process could be automated.

Soon

I will be able to create a system of fully autonomous self replicating drones.

 

[Spartan4845]

Soon

I will be able to create a system of fully autonomous self replicating drones.

As soon as we can send out crew or drone miners... Muahhahahhahah

 

[alterintel]

Thought you guys might like this. I've went ahead and turned the shuttles on my latest ship into drones and made an automatic release for them.
I also included a transporter on each drone so it would be easier to recover them.

 

[AtraUnam]

Ok so how about a crazy idea. We build integrated drone racks with perfectly semetrical drones, each with 6 dockers each pointing in a different direction. Then put a huge 'scoop' of rails on the front of the ship that collision-docks the drones and funnels them back into their racks.

 

[Keptick]

Ok so how about a crazy idea. We build integrated drone racks with perfectly semetrical drones, each with 6 dockers each pointing in a different direction. Then put a huge 'scoop' of rails on the front of the ship that collision-docks the drones and funnels them back into their racks.

With how derpy collisions can be, I don't think it'll work... It'd be freaking awesome if it did though!

 

[EricBlank]

Putting transporters on each drone sounds good. I'd probably get confused and repeatedly transport myself to one I've already docked or something though.

 

[StormWing0]

Putting transporters on each drone sounds good. I'd probably get confused and repeatedly transport myself to one I've already docked or something though.

This is where naming them before you save comes in handy. :P

 

[GRHayes]

Has anyone bothered making a drone scoop now that the contact docking is working.
I know for a fact it is possible with the test I ran.
Also a drone collection ship could be use to return them to an automated loading point. Such as I did with the cargo in this thread.
http://starmadedock.net/threads/simple-automated-cargo-drone-storage-point.22342/
BTW automated cargo pick up works as well.
So you wouldn't even need to get in and out of a ship to pick them up and drop them off or even switch from one to the other.

 

[Keptick]

If you are moving firing them out the back might be healthier on the collision checks since you could move at any speed and just need to not turn while launching. Unlike a lot of the launchers that need you to be sitting still.

I never had any problems firing the drones out of Charon, even while moving.

 

[Loadout]

Has anyone bothered making a drone scoop now that the contact docking is working.
I know for a fact it is possible with the test I ran.
Also a drone collection ship could be use to return them to an automated loading point. Such as I did with the cargo in this thread.
http://starmadedock.net/threads/simple-automated-cargo-drone-storage-point.22342/
BTW automated cargo pick up works as well.
So you wouldn't even need to get in and out of a ship to pick them up and drop them off or even switch from one to the other.

Tried this earlier this morning. Didn't work out so well honestly, there's a few things that aren't quite right yet with collision docking. In no particular order...

• You've gotta move the docking module INSIDE the rail, jusssssst right, or it fudges up.
• It also takes forever to recognize that it's there.
• Doing this causes wildly rapidly movements that would make your head spin if you're inside either ship.
• Assuming you get this all to work it would have taken you alot longer than just hopping over to it and scrapping it from the inside out.

On the plus side though whenever the docking issue does get fixed I've now got an interesting scoop design that will pull, center, and lock in stray drones. Which should make a dedicated recovery ship not only a possibility but a handy tool to have floating about. Perhaps I can add some cargo storage for all the drone parts once they've been scrapped. hmm.... sounds like quite a handy vessel indeed... off to the drawing boards!

 

[GRHayes]

Tried this earlier this morning. Didn't work out so well honestly, there's a few things that aren't quite right yet with collision docking. In no particular order...

• You've gotta move the docking module INSIDE the rail, jusssssst right, or it fudges up.
• It also takes forever to recognize that it's there.
• Doing this causes wildly rapidly movements that would make your head spin if you're inside either ship.
• Assuming you get this all to work it would have taken you alot longer than just hopping over to it and scrapping it from the inside out.

On the plus side though whenever the docking issue does get fixed I've now got an interesting scoop design that will pull, center, and lock in stray drones. Which should make a dedicated recovery ship not only a possibility but a handy tool to have floating about. Perhaps I can add some cargo storage for all the drone parts once they've been scrapped. hmm.... sounds like quite a handy vessel indeed... off to the drawing boards!

Did you try the auto system I put on there as an alternative to a scoop system. I built a sample system that works for the drone recovery cargo docking system. Try it out you may be pleasantly surprised.

The scoop system tends to require drones having easy access docking points.

 

[Loadout]

Did you try the auto system I put on there as an alternative to a scoop system. I built a sample system that works for the drone recovery cargo docking system. Try it out you may be pleasantly surprised.

The scoop system tends to require drones having easy access docking points.

I did, and it wasn't pleasant at all. Took about 5 minutes to figure out what order to dock/undock things and nothing seemed to work quite right. The actual docking process was ugly with all the shaking and vibrating. It really just didn't want to transfer from top to bottom. Like I said though, the magnetic docking is in itself borked, once that gets fixed though there's really nothing to worry about.

 

[GRHayes]

I did, and it wasn't pleasant at all. Took about 5 minutes to figure out what order to dock/undock things and nothing seemed to work quite right. The actual docking process was ugly with all the shaking and vibrating. It really just didn't want to transfer from top to bottom. Like I said though, the magnetic docking is in itself borked, once that gets fixed though there's really nothing to worry about.

The system is designed as a drop and forget system. The small ship attached to the cargo container is the one you fly. You simply dock it where it is when you down loaded it. Hit the release then hit the undock and fly off.
The clamps hold the cargo in place. So no shaking at all for. If that system is attached to a station it obviously doesn't shake. The cargo container does because of the 5 second time issue. The bad part if they go to distance being a requirement it won't work at all. So hope they don't do that.

The other end you simply land and wait for the red light to blink which granted I could put in a better spot to be more visible. Then you undock and fly off.

since you mention the shaking. Got to ask did you have it docked to a station?

What would be nice if there was a way it automatically switch to a new dock if it came in contact with one. The likelihood of it accidentally doing so is next to none. So it would make sense to assume such actions are planned. thus it You could simply fly a ship down set it in position and it would dock instantly.