Logistics Drone

Logistics drones transport items automatically between Planetary Logistics Stations and Interstellar Logistics Stations according to the stations’ configured logistics settings. On a single planet, they can move cargo over any distance and ignore all placed buildings, making them the key solution for long-range item transport before or alongside belt-based networks.

A logistics drone starts with a carrying capacity of 25 items. This can be upgraded through Logistics Carrier Capacity to a maximum of 200 items at level 13. Its travel speed starts at 8 m/s and can be upgraded indefinitely with the Logistics Carrier Engine Upgrade; at Logistics Drone Carrier Engine Upgrade level 7, speed reaches 26.4 m/s. Because drones consume electricity, their convenience and flexibility come with an energy cost.

Logistics drones are deployed into logistics stations rather than used directly by hand. Capacity is limited by station type: a Planetary Logistics Station can hold up to 50 drones, while an Interstellar Logistics Station can hold up to 100 drones. When assigned to a station, they automatically move items between stations that share the appropriate request and supply settings.

Practical notes:

• Drones are best used for long-distance intraplanet logistics, where conveyor belts would be too expensive, slow, or space-consuming.
• They can fully replace belt transport for some layouts, but their main advantage is higher speed, better carrying efficiency, and far lower land usage over long routes.
• Since they ignore buildings, drones are especially useful for moving materials through dense factory areas without redesigning the entire layout.
• Upgrading capacity improves each trip’s efficiency, while speed upgrades reduce transport latency and increase throughput.