Robots as Spaceships: Quadcopters

In the last decade or so, consumer robotics has aquired an all star: the Quadcoptor. When we talk about a drone now adays, we're almost always talking about a quadcopter. Perhaps no robot has ever been produced in such numbers and made so available to the public.

In our Robots as spaceships system, this just means we need to use the helicoptor rotors from Spaceships 7, right? Well, we could. But quadcopters don't have the same performance as real helicoptor rotors, and they have very different costs and mechanics. They don't cost the same amount, and they don't move in the same way. Quadcopters use a very different steering mechanism from traditional helicopters. Helicoptors steer mechanically using "swashplates", while quadcopters vary their power to different propellers. The Quadcoptor method is more difficult to pilot and less power efficient than a true helicopter. Its also much simpler and cheaper to produce, and with modern electronics, piloting it is no longer a major issue.

So lets build a system for quadcopters in spaceships.


Quadcopters can allocate one power point towards moving for every rotor they have. Quadcopter rotor systems cost 1/6th of a normal rotor's cost, which is the same as a tracked drive-train system.

from Icon Fonts is licensed by CC BY 3.0

Power Points	Streamlined Move	Unstreamlined Move
1 point	5	5
2 points	6/10	5/7
3 points	7/15	5/10
4 points	8/20	5/12
5 points	9/25	5/15
6 points	10/30	5/17

Quadcopters optimized for speed may be considerably faster, but these speeds can only be obtained from dedicated craft fine tuned for their exact load.

Special Rules

Quadcopters are an especially simple design, and a few more rules should be associated with them.

quadcopter rotor systems include an onboard computer that is only used to steer the craft. A GM may allow a skilled helicopter pilot to steering unaided it at a large penalty.

Quadcopters can be steered without a control room. Control rooms are not required because Quadcopters steering is mechanically very simple. In addition to the computer, the copter will likely require communications or sensors, and possibly both.

If any rotor system is damaged, The entire craft becomes unstable and cannot be flown, instead tumbling to the ground in a fairly unpredictable manner

Quadcopters do not scale especially well, as they rely on rapidly slowing and accelerating their rotors. Chassis of up to 0 SM should not be effected, but SM+1 systems cost 1/3rd of a normal rotor, SM+2 systems cost 2/3rds of a helicopter rotor, and larger systems cost the same as a helicopter rotor.

Use in the Campaign

Many games will have uses for quadcopters, as they are the stuff of present robotics and drones as well as the future. I've already run two games in which one character made his presence known exclusively through quadcopters, radios, and computers. Quadcopters can scout out terrain, let a character be in several places at once, and they've even been weaponized.

Most common quadcopters range from 20 lbs to half a pound. Smaller drones tend to be viewed as "toys" and are often flown by eye rather than by camera. The large 20lb drones are primarily used for arial photography, capable of lifting heavy cameras, and even lifting landing and stabilization gear for the heavy cameras.

I hope you find places to use quadcopters in your games, and I hope this article makes them more accessible for your games. Happy Flying!