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Drones

UAVs

The stored UAVs have become tools for exploring beyond the damaged region. One has reached living grass; Charlotte proposes using another to carry Donald.

Story so far

Drones, also called UAVs, are kept under tarps in the weapons storeroom. Donald remembers Charlotte flying them during the war and has seen camera feeds recording targets’ final moments. Anna Thurman said her father wanted drones or scouts sent to investigate the silent silos. According to Eren, the aircraft drop bombs, have limited range in the outside air, and are damaged enough by it to be used only once.

Donald and Charlotte sent a drone out without a bomb. It lost oil pressure and its second engine, then reached a vivid green landscape before the feed failed. Two later drones traveled less far. Charlotte stripped out a bombing computer, munitions mounts, release servos, all but one camera, and some bracing to reduce weight; she also planned to seal the access panels against dust and removed play from a wing control cable.

A later drone landed in grass beyond the damaged area and kept transmitting for half an hour. Charlotte now believes a sufficiently lightened drone could carry Donald out of the silo, though this remains a proposed use rather than a demonstrated rescue capability.

Appearance

Winged aircraft stored beneath tarps, equipped with cameras, access panels, and silicon-carbon batteries about the size of toaster ovens. One has a headlamp; Charlotte’s modified craft have shed bombing equipment and excess structure.

Role

Aircraft formerly equipped for bombing and now used for reconnaissance. Charlotte proposes adapting one to carry Donald to safety.

Relationships

Charlotte — Charlotte repairs, lightens, and flies the drones.
Anna Thurman — Anna Thurman reported her father’s proposal to use drones to investigate silent silos.
Eren — Eren described their bombing role and vulnerability to the outside air.

Earlier in this series

Also appears in books you've already read — spoiler-safe to their endings:

Sources — 14 recorded facts, by chapter
Chapter 12
  • The drones use silicon-carbon batteries about the size of toaster ovens.
  • Charlotte estimates each drone battery weighs thirty to forty pounds.
  • Charlotte’s two most recent drones traveled less far than the first.
Chapter 13
  • Charlotte works on the drones at night and opens one drone’s wing.
Chapter 27
  • Charlotte removes the drone’s bombing computer, munitions mounts, and release servos.
  • Charlotte removes all but one camera and some structural bracing from the drone.
  • Charlotte plans to seal each drone access panel with caulk to keep dust out.
  • Charlotte eliminates the play in the drone’s wing control cable.
Chapter 31
  • The drone has a headlamp operated by a test switch inside an access panel.
Chapter 37
  • Charlotte has flown three drones over depressions marking the silos.
Chapter 46
  • Darcy recalls learning that drones had dropped bombs.
Chapter 52
  • Darcy finds one drone partly disassembled or under repair beneath a tarp.
Chapter 53
  • A drone Charlotte flies lands in grass beyond the damaged area and continues transmitting for half an hour.
Chapter 57
  • Charlotte believes a sufficiently lightened drone could carry Donald out of the silo.
Character portrait