[lazaerov]

I have a Technomancer hacker/rigger.  I'm interested in learning about actually stealing drones.  So, say I find a drone somewhere (on the street, in a fight, whatever).  What's the process involved with stealing it completely and making it my own?  Do I first hack it and then change its subscription from whatever to me?  Anyone have a more detailed break down that might help me better understand that?

[RHat]

Basically, you'll want to burn out any RFID tags on the drone (tag eraser), change it's Access ID (Hardware+Logic (2), SR4A 224), create for yourself a legitimate admin account(Software+Edit with security access, Hacking+Edit(4) without, Unwired 97), clear out any other accounts, and kill any unwanted subscriptions.

[lazaerov]

Awesome.  Thanks.  I would not have thought about all of this at all, lol.

[RHat]

One thing to remember:  Stealth tags.  It's a good idea to get ahold of the plans for the drone to figure out where all the tags on it are.  Faraday cages are also useful for this - you can put the drone in one until you're done.

[lazaerov]

Oh because stealth tags can't be erased because they're hardened?  Are the drone plans something I'd just ask a fixer for?  Are they something I can do a Detect Hidden Nodes action to find?  I see they get -2 Concealability, but I'm not sure how exactly that works.

I'm definitely interested in learning more about the plans piece because I think it'd be cool to get skills for making drones (I don't even know what those are -- such an awesome rigger, I know) and set up a workshop.  I feel like it might cost less nuyen to pump out my own drones than it would be to buy them, and then I get the benefit of stuff like stelath tags and a custom plan, so it'd be harder for someone to snatch it and get away with it, though I'm sure with the proper skills, they could do so.

[RHat]

Stealth tags are harder to deal with, yes; a Fixer is a good person to go though to get ahold of those plans, which will also be useful if you need to repair it.  Building them from scratch isn't really covered in the rules, though; a GM houseruling it in would probably require that you have a Facility for the relevant skill(s).

Due to a specific rule with stealth tags, they cannot be located with Detect Hidden Node.

[lazaerov]

Oh right "unless the codes are known".  I missed that.  Hence getting the plans and then taking them out in a facility.  That makes sense.

I just need to keep my eyes peeled for drones now.  I'm not sure how often they actually are just hangin out, though, LOL.

It's actually really exciting that you get so much freedom in SR to hack/build all kinds of things.

[Aryeonos]

Depending on your local, assuming it's a 1st or 2nd world sprawl (Socioeconomically speaking) they're supposed to be about as ubiquitous as metas. Though the general degree of how useful these drones will be to you is entirely based on your creativity. Corp drones armed up with guns are probably going to be sparse until you get close to compounds or high value offices and facilities. But drones that garden, sweep, put out fires and keep an eye on children or the elderly could be found blindfolded at range with an airsoft gun.

At least, that's how my understanding goes.