Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

Just what the title says. What set of skills or skills would be used for piloting a Modern Drone/UAV. Would it be different for the small (like the Wasp)? The very large (like a Global Hawk or Sentinel)? What about building them? A subset of Engineer (Electronics) should work I think. Repair skills?

Any information or help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Ghostdancer

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

Building them should be Engineer (aeronautic) or whatever is closest to that. The computer control systems aren't all that special (in the context of TL8 aircraft), but a drone is an airplane.

I'd probably go with Electronics Operation for drones that take directions and target instructions from a controller but fly themselves. Some form of Piloting for a remote aircraft that you actually control directly like an RC plane.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

Piloting a UAV by remote (rather than an autopilot program run by the on-board computer) sounds a lot like a Technique rather than a Piloting skill of its own, I think. Not sure about the details, but my gut tells it it's an Average technique with a penalty of -3 or -4; I wouldn't buy it up above the base skill.

The autopilot programs would use the standard Pilot skill, based on whether the UAV would be a Light Airplane, Heavy Airplane, Helicopter, High-Performance Airplane, or Vertol (lots of TL9 cyberpunk drone UAVs are heli or vertol), all depending on how a living pilot would fly it.


Building and repairing a UAV would be a specialty (or more than one specialty) of Mechanic, I think; Engineer is designing them.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

Speaking as an apprentice aircraft maintenance engineer, aircraft maintenance is split into three trade streams (at least here in Australia): structural, mechanical, and avionics. Structural covers the repair of the aircraft's physical body; they're the guys who patch the holes and cracks in the aircraft's skin, and make sure the wings don't fall off. Mechanical guys deal with the mechanical systems: things like engines, hydraulics, and pneumatics. Avionics guys are the guys who deal with the electrical parts of the plane: ignition systems, electrical actuators, and the flight controls and displays in the cockpit.

And yeah, there's a lot of different skills involved. I tried statting myself up a bit back, and, let's see, for an avionics engineer: Computer Operation and Research (to look things up in the Aircraft Maintenance Manual), Electrician, one or two points in Electronics Operation (Communications and Sensors, because you need to know how to use them to test them after you've fixed them), Electronics Repair (Communications and Sensors), Hazardous Materials (Chemical, because there's so many in aviation it's not funny), Law (Aviation Legislation), a point in Mechanic (Light/Heavy Aircraft, since you need to know how the mechanisms work to understand how the electrical systems interface with them), one point in Navigation (Air, since you need to know how to use the instruments to test them), one point in Piloting (since you need to know how to use the flight controls to test them), a point each in Mathematics (Applied) and Physics to give you the theoretical grounding for everything else.

Mechanical guys would likely have the skills above that don't deal with the avionics or electrical systems, along with points in Mechanic (Light/Heavy/High Performance Aircraft), Mechanic (Jet Turbine Engine), Mechanic (Gasoline Engine), and maybe Mechanic (Helicopters). Structural guys would probably have Machinist or Smith (Aluminum) or something, I dunno. What would the skill for making things out of composites be? Smith (Composites)?

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

According to Basic 214, it's just Pilot skill, of a type appropriate to the drone (most winged drones would be Ultralight; technically something like a quadcopter is helicopter, but in terms of performance it's probably closer to a vertol), though you probably can't benefit from 3d Spacial Sense or Perfect Balance.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

I could easily see someone who knows how to pilot a drone better than they can fly live. Other than that, agreed.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

Yeah that situation is pretty much what familiarities are made for.

As for a full skillset, I would expect a drone operator to have Forward Observer, Electronics Operation (Sensors) and (Comms), Navigation (Air), and Artillery (Guided Missiles) if the UAV is armed. I'm not sure if Observation is valid for use from a vehicle at a distance, but if it is they would have that skill as well.

Someone at some point in the chain of command would probably have Intelligence Analysis, but probably not the operator themselves.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

If the drone has an onboard computer responsible for keeping it in the air, then I'd call it an Operation skill - I'd use Machine Operation (drone) but the RAW lack that skill, so Electronics Operation (drone). Alternately if it becomes an ordinary tool, then it would use the skill that covers the job it is a routine tool *for*. I can completely believe Forward Observer/TL9 covers operating several models of drones.

If you are responsible for the control inputs that keep it in the air and not just clicking a destination, then it's Pilot (light airplane), arguably with a Skill Adaptation perk to extend it to drones (or regular airplanes if you learned the skill on drones), and with the possibility of a technique for flying a specific model.


Designing a drone is Engineer (vehicle type). Building and maintaining one is Mechanic (vehicle type). Admittedly the RAW vehicle types are different breadths for the two skills, I'd probably call them as Engineer (Airplane) and Mechanic (UAV) myself.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

Thanks everyone! We've pretty much decided that either a required specialty for Piloting or a Technique is probably the way to go. Again, thanks everyone. I really appreciate it. :-)

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

Oh, believe me when I say there's a lot more to to repairing planes than just the Mechanic skill. You know, given that that's what I'm going to be doing for a living IRL.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

Well, arguably most of the other things you're doing are either part of or default form mechanic, at least as you're doing them. What GURPS calls a skill isn't exactly the same as what a training system would call a single skill.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

If it helps, I understand that the takeoff and landing of drones is normally done by different people to the in-mission control ... although I think that could be more to do with the delay involved in controlling them from the other side of the planet. The takeoff/landing guy being found at the actual airstrip the drones are using, whereas mission control can be anywhere with a satellite jack.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

I've been halfheartedly working on an article about drones and drone-riggers, building off of the same foundation as One With The Ship. It's been on back-burner forever, since I haven't played a game where it's come up in a while, so I'm actually kinda hoping someone beats me to the punch.

Anyway, I concur with those who say to use Piloting of the appropriate kind if you're in direct control (Ultralight for most small drones, maybe High-Performance Aircraft for something larger like the Predator) or Electronics Op (I'd probably go with with Surveillance in most cases) if it has on-board flight control. This could be simplified in more cinematic campaigns with a new specialization, Piloting (Drones).

Other systems are controlled essentially as if flying in a cockpit ... Artillery or Gunner for weapons, Electronics Op (Sensors at least, plus any other systems it has).

Repair skills by type: Electronics Repair for sensors, comm (control) systems, etc; Mechanic for the same specialization as Pilot; Armoury for weapon systems, etc.

Design skill could be its own specialization of Engineering (Drones), or more realistically, a combination of Computers, Electronics, Robotics, and the appropriate kind of drive.

Anyway, hope that helps. Drop me a line if you'd like to discuss other ideas ... I'd much rather see a good article soon, than wait for me to come back around to it.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

How about you write it up - I'll use it in a game and we can get that article a-working. :-)

I could even get one of my gunbunny players to write up examples of the drones themselves for it. Maybe aim at TL8 specifically - maybe with some higher TL info?

Hmmmm. I like that.

Ugh. I totally forgot about weapon skills - that would have sucked for the player and been a totally uncool moment in game. My eyes somehow glazed past theothersarah's post for some reason. >_<

This is useful. Thank you.

I was thinking of using Engineer (Vehicle Type).

You know, I'd love to add you to my cadre of authors in my Pyramid Mentoring Group. You've got a lot to offer to new writers IMHO.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

Hmm... let me look at what I've got, and see how much there is left to do. It seems like I had a good outline together, but I was dragging my feet on statting up some sample drones.


That could work too ... in fact, that's probably more appropriate (and certainly more compact) than (Electronics + Robotics + Drive type) in most cases, and (Computer) is only needed if you're designing the control software.


Yeah? *blush* ... thanks! I'd be happy to contribute whatever I can.

Probably my biggest challenge is that I'm moody and unreliable as a writer. I detest deadlines, but without them, I procrastinate indefinitely until something triggers a Manic Phase ... and then I get a bunch of work done, forgoing food, sleep, and social graces, until I burn out and crash. During that cycle, I start out (in the word of one Mr. Marsh) positively "spritely," but that's gradually replaced by growing irrationality and irritability.

All by way of saying that my process might not work for everyone. :)

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

You know, I'm pretty good at helping people meet deadlines.


And it makes as much sense as anything else for that skill.


Yes. You would. I'll send you a PM right now.

I actually know a bit of something about this - I even have a few techniques which might help.

LOL. And yet, you'd be quite helpful.

Re: Modern Drone/UAV Operation Skill
 

You want to talk to me about it, send me a PM. I might just be an apprentice aircraft maintenance engineer, but I still know a lot more about it than you could find out looking it up on the Internet or reading some books. At the very least, I'd be able to help you come up with an AME occupational template.