Drones
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
Sources — 26 recorded facts, by chapter
- Donald has seen drone and missile camera feeds that show targets’ final moments clearly enough for review frame by frame.
- Drones are stored under tarps beyond the supply shelves.
- Donald recalls his sister flying drones during the war.
- Anna says Thurman wants to send drones or scouts to investigate the silent silos, despite objections that it is too risky.
- Drones are stored under tarps in the weapons storeroom.
- According to Eren, the drones drop bombs and have limited range in the outside air.
- Donald notices three drones missing from the armory.
- Donald and Charlotte send their drone out without a bomb.
- According to Eren, the outside air damages the drones and limits them to one use.
- The reconnaissance drone begins losing oil pressure during the flight.
- The reconnaissance drone loses its second engine and glides at an indicated altitude of two hundred feet.
- The dying drone reaches a vivid green landscape before its monitor goes dark.
- 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.
- Charlotte works on the drones at night and opens one drone’s wing.
- 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.
- The drone has a headlamp operated by a test switch inside an access panel.
- Charlotte has flown three drones over depressions marking the silos.
- Darcy recalls learning that drones had dropped bombs.
- Darcy finds one drone partly disassembled or under repair beneath a tarp.
- A drone Charlotte flies lands in grass beyond the damaged area and continues transmitting for half an hour.
- Charlotte believes a sufficiently lightened drone could carry Donald out of the silo.