Docking and Launching Automatically - Getting Started with Drones

In the first in a series of tutorials focusing on the content from the Automatons update I cover how to make a drone automatically land and dock on a connector, launch and follow a path set by the player. This should get everyone started on being able to do all sorts of cool things with their drones :)

I have two other channels that I post content to regularly

Music and Sound Effects by:
Space Engineers

[Xeroof]

13:37 It occurs to me that the reason why the connector wasn't in range of the base connector was because the ship was turned away from straight, thus putting the ship connector to the side and out of range of the base connector. If the flight points are centered on the 'Move' block, then I think the safest thing would be to put the 'Move' block directly centered on the connector in whatever orientation it needs to connect. So, in this case with a vertical connection, the 'Move' block should be centered above the ship's connector. If it was a horizontal connection to the front or rear of the ship, then the 'Move' block should be either centered directly in front or behind the connector.

[saltr]

Imagine making a drone from Land Base to Space Station shuttling supplies that you cant get readily in Space.
Or Splitsie, make a drone that follows Capac.
On the other hand, Capac could make a drone to follow you Splitsie, that plys your favourite Fun song constantly 😂
LOVE YOUR CONTENT SPLITSIE! DONT EVER STOP

[ryba]

Just as I started experimenting with drones...
Perfect timing as always

[mthemstandsformilk]

FOR ANYONE STRUGGLING WITH SHIP ORIENTATION TURN OFF PLANETARY ALIGN IN THE FLIGHT AI SETTINGS. It overrides the recorded orientation unless you switch it off

[prfatum]

A very useful guide. I would like to add that 2 AI Flight (Move) can be used on the drone.
The first one is for low-speed flights (for docking)
The second (with high speed) for flights outside the stations.

[TheMitts]

I remember following your original tutorials years ago, they got me over the initial learning curve and paved the road towards my 2k+ hours in game and a bunch of relatively successful workshop uploads (Mitts on steam). I haven't hoped back in for probably over a year now and it's great to see you're still doing these, I still recommend your initial tutorial series to new players, looking forward to your next one!

[shakeabledrip]

Super cool if they added a "force orientation" for waypoints. That way waypoint 3 can have that selected and between 2 and 3 it rolls spins and turns untill the recorded orientation is established.

[mandyspence]

That was a brilliant and helpful tutorial, looking forwards to more advanced stuff, especially those focusing on making big 💥

[andrewboyce]

Holy crap, thank you! I just came back to SE after almost 4 years away and I spent about an hour feeling like an idiot trying to figure out all the new stuff by myself like an idiot. Your tutorials are amazing Splitsie, thank you for making them.

[npenick]

You still make the best tutorial's that I've seen for any game. I'm going to have to get some caffeine and rewatch this to get it to sink (early morning here) in but you always explain things in a way that I can 'get it'.

[davyrando]

I am going to use this not for a fully automated ship, but for a automated docking. Docking with a big ship can be a pain in the batooski!

[truejoshi]

For when you get around to building missiles, I experimented with it myself a little and ran into the problem of warheads not detonating on impact. A pretty reliable fix I found for it is to be found in the event controller:
Distance to locked target
<= (Varying distance based upon your design and warhead payload but I personally went for small grid: 15m)
Action slot 1, Toolbar 1: Arm warheads
Action slot 1, Toolbar 2: Detonate warheads
Hope this might save some trouble if you happen to have gotten to the point where you want to pull your hair out because the warheads and sensors weren't reliably working.

[Yull-Rete]

When you get to event controllers, I've found an airlock system that is substantially more user-friendly than the officially-released example. My design is crafted with multiplayer in mind. It should be intuitive to use, as there are no buttons that need pressing. All a user has to do is open each door in their way like any uninitiated Capac would, and the design is mostly idiot proof, for the set of all idiots who don't have weapons or grinders.

Idle setup is both doors on and closed, and the airlock vent set to 'depressurize'.
Each controller looks at one of the doors, and as soon as that door opens, it starts a one-second timer, and turns the other door off until it closes. (You can also have the inside door opening switch the airlock vent off depressurize, but that isn't strictly necessary.)
All the timer does is wait a second and then close both doors. (You could do this with two separate timers, but you can also have both controllers start the same one.)

[championhook]

OMG, the OG tutorial space engineer is back!!

[khamseen]

I wondered how long it would take for you to explain to me how to use the new blocks. I'm not disappointed! Thanks for the helpful tutorial, Splitsie!

[arismilonas]

Great tutorial, seems very complicated at the moment but Im sure after playing around will be much easier.

[AlphaOfCrimson]

Splitsie is still doing tutorials! I came back to the game after a long time when I saw the new AI blocks. (I always sucked with scripts)

[Umeshu]

Yes a splitsie tutorial. I was waiting for this. No other streamer/youtuber can do a space engineers tutorial better than splitsie. Trust me others have tried and they aren’t as great as they think they are.

[canadianbacon]

Up late unable to sleep AND NEW SLPITSIE! Thank you I have needed something to dive my brain into all night

[daniellagergren]

Awesome tutorial!
This is so cool! can't wait to start playing around with the new blocks.