The Drone Device is a weapon manufactured by Gadgetron Corporation in Ratchet & Clank. It is a defensive weapon that launches six drones around Ratchet to absorb many forms of incoming damage, as well as to attack enemies immediately surrounding him. The drones are launched as soon as the weapon is equipped.
The weapon becomes available for purchase from planet Hoven onwards for 7,500 bolts or 5,000 with the Persuader. There is no gold upgrade.
Characteristics[]
Ammo in Ratchet & Clank (2002).
The drones launched by the device are very small, metallic, and silver. They have two blue eyes on the front, a green antennae at the top, and a small, round metallic pad at the back. The drones, when launched, orbit around Ratchet, all in a line behind each other.
Combat[]
When launched, the drones will float around Ratchet until an enemy is encountered close by, in which they will self-destruct, killing the enemy. The drones will block many forms of damage, such as incoming ranged projecting, but it will not block all of them.
Ratchet using the Drone Device against a group of Anklebiters.
The Drone Device is a relatively weak weapon. It does not always block damage and only attacks enemies in very close proximity to Ratchet. As such, the weapon essentially functions as a melee weapon, though it has paid ammunition, unlike the OmniWrench or Walloper. While the weapon is able to block some forms of attack, it can only block damage six times, one for each drone, meaning the weapon does not provide much utility, but the player can choose to skip the weapon entirely.
Despite what the Help Menu description states, Defensive Drones cannot protect Ratchet from incoming projectiles even though bullets count as projectiles.
Behind the scenes[]
The Defense Drone Glove.
Originally, the Drone Device was launched from a glove known as the "Defense Drone Glove", though the glove was no longer needed once the weapons' functionality changed.[1] The concept art for the weapons is still available in the Goodies menu's sketchbook,[1] and the weapon's vendor description keeps this name.[2] Additionally, ammo dropped by crates misnames it as Drone Glove ammo.[3]
If one deployed the Drone Device while being attacked by the machine gunners at the Gemlik Base, they would zoom up and intercept every shot until they disappeared, lasting quite a while. This could possibly cause a sound glitch, where the sound would loop and continue even after they disappeared, continuing until the player left the level or shut the game.