[Fedifensor]

I'm saving up to purchase a vehicle (GMC Bulldog) that doubles as a repair shop, and plan to purchase a MCT K-K drone to assist with repair work.  What would I need to do to modify the drone so it could also drive the vehicle? 


I plan to up the Pilot to 4 (so it can have a Pilot + Hardware dice pool of .  I was also thinking about adding Realistic Features, so an observer would think it's just an ork driving a van. 

[Coyote]

Why not just plant it in the driver's seat, upgrade the Bulldog's Pilot, and let the Bulldog pilot itself?

[Fedifensor]

Why not just plant it in the driver's seat, upgrade the Bulldog's Pilot, and let the Bulldog pilot itself?

The main reason is that I have to upgrade the drone's Pilot anyway to give it a decent Hardware dice pool, so I may as well let it be the driver.  That said, if there's a cheaper way to do things, I'm open to it.

[Hobbes]

The drone would likely need an Autosoft anyway.  And unless I'm missing something, the factory installed autopilot should be fine for every day driving.  Crazy stunts that you don't want an Autopilot doing, you probably don't want a Drone doing. 

[adzling]

Yeah the bulldog is a drone, just let it pilot itself imho.

[Reaver]

agreed.

Getting from point A to point B is what the standard autopilot in any vehicle is perfectly capable of, and what it is meant to do.

But trying to get "stunt" driving out of a drone, piloting a vehicle is... well, rather hard to do..... As now you have a driver (in this case a drone) that is piloting the vehicle MANUALLY, (because drones can not pilot drones through a connection), which means you now have to load it with autosofts, reaction increases, and what have you....

At the end of the day, its just cheaper and easier to dump the extra cash into the vehicle and improving it's dog-brain autopilot abilities. 

[Fedifensor]

I guess I should explain a bit more...

My character's goal is to have a mobile Hardware shop.  The GMC Bulldog will have rigger controls for the times when we have a rigger on the team, but the main purpose is to be able to acquire gear and change the ownership on it, without the risk of a static workshop that would have to be abandoned if it was ever discovered.  It's also going to have the Hardware workshop, and standard shadowrunner options like Chameleon Coating, Morphing License Plates, etc. 

The drone is essential, as I have exactly 15 dice - just enough to buy enough hits in downtime to change ownership, and that takes 12 hours (or an average of 7 hours if rolling).  If the drone has Pilot 4 + Hardware autosoft 4, that's 8 dice on an assist, which works out to drop the total time to 10 hours (or an average of 6 hours if rolling).  Still a lot of time, but enough where I could change ownership before the owner notices that the item is missing (or before someone notices the owner is tied up and locked in the truck of his car...).  So, I'm committed to spending the money on the drone to get Pilot 4 anyway (along with the appropriate fake licenses).  I could go up to Pilot 5, though that's a risk if law enforcement gets a close look at the drone.  Anyway, it would be a good backup to have the drone be able to drive, as I have the skills to 'acquire' a vehicle during an adventure...and my character's Agility Reaction isn't nearly as high as Logic.

[adzling]

You use reaction to drive, not agility.

If you're a decker I'd consider driving the stolen vehicles via remote rather than plunking your drone into them.
You can drive multiple vehicles via remote if you have to (it only takes on action per turn to keep them under control).

Even if you let the pilots of the vehicles drive themselves you're not losing much as long as they have the right software present.

[Hobbes]

First action order a stolen Vehicle's Autopilot to drive to your cooling spot.  Next Action order the stolen Vehicle to turn off Wireless. 

Wait a couple days and have a drone do a fly by of the cooling spot.  If it's clear, go pick up the vehicle. 

If you don't know what a cooling spot is, don't steal cars.

[DigitalZombie]

I think all anthro-drones could use the manual controls in a vehicle. So that wouldn't be a problem.
But if you are in a situation where you need the drone to do something very illegal- like hitting the sec-guard with the GMC or driving max speed through the mall. Then your autosoft might have a slight problem (maybe unless its military grade rating 5 or 6).

Can a drone drive with AR? I guess they can?