explorer Drone Comparison
Relic Retriever Drone vs Survey Mapper Drone
Comparing the Relic Retriever Drone (Tier 3) and Survey Mapper Drone (Tier 2), both explorer drones in Starforge MMO. Both deploy from carrier hulls and fill the same wing slot, so they compete directly for your drone bay.
Stat Comparison
| Attribute | Relic Retriever Drone | Survey Mapper Drone |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T3 | T2 |
| Max per carrier | 5 | 8★ |
| sample Capacity | 6 | — |
| containment Stability | 0.8 | — |
| hp | 28★ | 25 |
| speed | 65 | 80★ |
| sensor Range | — | 10 |
| mapping Speed | — | 2.5 |
| anomaly Detection | — | Yes |
★ marks the higher raw value for each attribute. Higher is not always better — match the stat to your carrier doctrine.
Relic Retriever Drone
A specialised collection drone that recovers artefacts, exotic samples and intact precursor relics from expedition sites and anomaly fields, stabilising fragile finds in a shielded containment bay for safe return to base. The tool of choice for commanders who explore the deep-zones to bring something home, not just to look.
Carriers: horizon explorer, umbra scout, leviathan carrier, base
Unlock tech: artifact recovery drones
Survey Mapper Drone
An autonomous survey drone deployed ahead of an expedition fleet to map system geography, flag resource fields and catalogue anomalies before any crewed ship arrives. Its wide-spectrum sensor wing builds a high-resolution chart of a system in a fraction of the time a single scout would need.
Carriers: horizon explorer, wasp scout, leviathan carrier, base
Unlock tech: expedition drones
Which Drone Should You Build?
The Relic Retriever Drone sits a tier higher, giving it the stronger stat ceiling and making it the upgrade target once its unlock tech is researched. The lower-tier drone stays viable as an early-game filler while you tech up.