SR: Drones 101

[CykoSpin]

It's always been a sneakin' suspicion of mine (and recently, a confirmation) that there are those of you out there who play Shadowrun that know basically only two things about drones: jack and shit. Well, I happen to have had the SR3 main book in one hand, Rigger 3 in the other, and a few hours to kill with nothing better to do. Despite what you may think you know about drones, I've read every damn line of drone-related material from both of the aforementioned books and have it all fresh in my mind, so listen up boneheads, and listen good!

Drones CANNOT function independently of their control network and a control network CANNOT function independently from a rigger (a rigger doesn't have to be commanding everything at all times {hell, he doesn't even necessarily have to be awake}, but a rigger must be jacked into the network in order for it to function properly).
{For those of you just tuning in, Kwyndig caught me in a lie here. There is a single line (which I apparently missed every time I ever read the drone rules for SR) that states,
"A non-affiliated drone is operating independently of the RC deck."
However, I couldn't find any further elaboration on this.}

Also, as far as the rules are concerned, a drone can only be issued commands through a rigger-control network* (in other words, you can't hack** into a drone and issue it commands via the Computer skill).

Repeat after me: Drones are only semi-autonomous, not fully autonomous.
Read it, learn it, live it.

Class dismissed.

{edit: corrected a typographical error and added notes for clarification}
*whether real or emulated
**this was meant in a non-matrix sense

[Cash]

Really now.

I'll respond to this after I get some sleep. To boil it down into two words...you're wrong.

More on this as it develops.

[Salvation122]

I was under the impression that a decker could command drones through the Matrix, but could only do so in Captain's Chair mode, and that the drones suffered a penalty on any comprehension tests.

[Anguirel]

Drones CANNOT function independently of their control network

Ever hear about Auto-Navs? They work independently from a Control network. Drone-Pilots are more powerful than any level of Autonav with one exception: they can't always plot their own course. Of course, neither can an Auto-Nav, really... More on this later.

and a control network CANNOT function independently from a rigger (a rigger doesn't have to be commanding everything at all times {hell, he doesn't even necessarily have to be awake}, but a rigger must be jacked into the network in order for it to function properly).

What are you smoking, and why don't you share? A rigger (a person with a Vehicle Control Rig cyberware implant) is not even required to create a drone network.

The captain's chair mode is the only drone-control method available to characters who do not possess a VCR-implant (characters with datajacks and an RC deck may control drones this way).

Further, what possible benefit does having a sleeping rigger jacked into the network provide?

Also, as far as the rules are concerned, a drone can only be issued commands through a rigger-controlled network (in other words, you can't hack into a drone and issue it commands via the Computer skill).

The underwater drone rules and the MIJI rules (specifically Interference, Rigger 3, pp. 40) would beg to differ. You need an interpreter of your commands (generally an RCD, which might be considered a drone-network, perhaps) and an input on the drone. Most drones are controlled by using radio signals, but you can have wires trailing off the drone (submersible drones require this form of connection to submerge past a certain depth if the rigger is above the surface of the water) and you can therefore sure as hell hack a drone open and connect your wires in the proper place (cutting out the original rigger's signal in the process) and then take over the drone... this process can take a long time, however, since you need to first add that drone to your own subscriber list, a task which takes several minutes according to Rigger3, pp. 42.

Repeat after me: Drones are only semi-autonomous, not fully autonomous.

This is the first correct thing you've said. Yes, drone-pilots are semi-autonomous... they can't formulate their own initial actions as a robot-pilot can (subject to its prime directive). However, once they have been given an order ("circle this area", or "shoot anyone walking through this door", or "trigger your radio when you sense anything in this area") , they can continue to carry out that order until given another order. Thus semi-autonomous. Given an initial impulse, they can act autonomously within the confines of that order, as long as they can comprehend it. Better pilots comprehend more and interpret better. Level 4 Auto-Navs are the same, albeit they are restricted to mapping and driving: given a destination, they can determine a route and move the vehicle to that location, changing the route when necessary to avoid obstructions.

[3278]

Has SR3 eliminated the autopilot systems? The SK expert systems that operated as dog brains and could function completely independently of the network? If so, I've got about a trillion nuyen of equipment that suddenly doesn't exist.

[Cash]

Cyko:: Ok, you're convinced that drones absolutely have got to have a rigger to control it. Why don't you tell us what caused you to come to that conclusion. Give us proof, man. Tell is what page numbers.

Ang:: Drones don't/can't have Autoi-Navs,but yeah. Same principle. Pilots are smarter Auto-Nav's (and less specialized...if you don't want to take penalties in combat then you need to turn the auto-Nav off. Otherwise you take a penalty equal to the rating.)

32:: Nope...still there. The Pilot rating is used as the skill rating for tests when the drone is not being controlled by the rigger.

[CykoSpin]

First off, if you are going into a rules dispute, then back up your shit with quotes or page references. I'm defending material found throughout an entire section of two books, so my references are: SR3 pg. 135-157 / R3 pg. 41-44 (and, to a lesser extent pg. 30-40 and pg. 45-50).

It doesn't say anywhere that, even when using autopilot, drones that are disconnected from their network can still function. All it says is that they can function independently of direct rigger control. Your beliefs that they can function independently seem to just be poor interpretation of the rules. I suggest that anyone who believes this should carefully re-read the Drones section of both SR3 and R3.

The thing with deckers controlling drones is this: Sure they can, but only if the drones are connected to the Matrix (and they very, very rarely are), and only if the decker is running a remote-control utility (which emulates rigger protocols). So, it still is receiving rigger command protocol, hence, only rigger control networks (real or emulated) can issue commands.
I really should've worded my original post more carefully; I was riding a sleep-deprivation buzz at the time and didn't clarify my point well at all. I was referring to something said in the home security thread. I meant that you couldn't simply break out the tools, open up a drone, and issue commands via Computer (programming) skill.

Anguirel, MIJI does not work the way you obviously think it does.

[CykoSpin]

Cyko:: Ok, you're convinced that drones absolutely have got to have a rigger to control it. Why don't you tell us what caused you to come to that conclusion. Give us proof, man. Tell is what page numbers.

It's a conclusion I reached by reading the entire Drones section of SR3 and double-checking the section in R3. It can't really be summed up in a reference to a single line or paragraph.

[Kwyndig]

Page 156 SR 3rd addition: Subscriber lists.

A non-affiliated drone is operating independently of the RC deck. Consequently, a rigger controlling a network can neither see through nor control the non-affiliated drone.

That's pretty much all it says, the drone operates independently of the deck. So basically, in your first post, you're an idiot, Cykospin.

In addition, it notes on page 39 of Rigger 3 (the jamming section) that drones disconnected from the network either carry out the last command they were given or maintain a holding pattern where they are, as well as defending themselves. So they remain functional.

So, in your latest post, you're still an idiot, Cykospin.

[CykoSpin]

Well, I'll be damned. I can't believe it's all broken down in one easily-fucking-missed line. Everything else on drones points to them not being able to function independently. The rules specify independence from the rigger, but, with the exception of that one damn line, I didn't see anything that specified indepenence from the control network. I'll go stand in the corner now.

At least Kwyndig made his point creditable with a reference to the rules.
However, I fail to see how my point on MIJI is invalid.

[Cash]

MIJI:: Read Rigger 3 a little harder then. Specifically Interference.

That's one reason for having a drone off a network. Yes, you lose the flexibilty but you don't lose your drone to that method.

[CykoSpin]

Something I noticed about what Kwyndig said: It is true that it is all that it says. There is no specification as to what a drone does once it is dis-affiliated. I figured that it stood idle. I suppose that maybe it carries out its last command, but there doesn’t seem to be any clarification on this.

Cash: I actually have no idea why I added, "You can't control drones that way." It must have been an afterthought to something else, I guess. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure of why I added that MIJI comment at all.

[Camouflage]

Something I noticed about what Kwyndig said: It is true that it is all that it says. There is no specification as to what a drone does once it is dis-affiliated. I figured that it stood idle. I suppose that maybe it carries out its last command, but there doesn’t seem to be any clarification on this.

You can AFAIk program a set of orders into a drone to fulfill once it looses connection to the rigger. Most drones are usually ordered to either return home or proceed to a specified assembly area, go into standby or even in some rare cases to run amok.

The biggest problem is just, that I'Ve found no reference yet, what the reaction and the initiative of such a disaffiliated drone would be...

[Cash]

*nods*

the one time it happened, we had the drone keep the same initative that my rigger had. (drone was cut off from the rigger's signal when the team penetrated too far into a industrial warehouse)