Survey Drones aren’t something that you will hear about right away. In fact, you might get through half the game before you hear them mentioned. These drones let you view biomes safely from the Base, but you need to establish a connection with them first. Here is how you capture the Survey Drones in Horizon Forbidden West.
Once you complete the Eye of the Earth mission, you will have access to the Base. This area is a central hub sort of area for you and your allies. After a long conversation with Gaia, you will be free to come and go from the base whenever you want. Inside the dome where Gaia is, you can find a terminal that is connected to the Survey Drones. Gaia will explain to Aloy that the drones are for surveying the land and displaying it in the dome.
Once you leave the area, you will be able to find drones in the open world. Drones are pretty easy to spot. They appear as blue dots in the sky and have blue beams of light coming down from them. Once you have spotted a drone, you can scan it with your Focus to view its flight path. The key to bringing down a drone and getting its data isn’t destroying it, you need to capture it. This is done by reaching a high point and jumping onto the drone. Aloy will bring it down and disable it once it hits the ground. Afterward, return to the terminal in the Base to establish the connection to the drone.
