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SandustryGuide

Sandustry Drone Guide & Troubleshooter

Sandustry Drone Guide & Troubleshooter

Fix a Hauler that won't return, check a Drone's cargo or drop-off state, and learn what Recon and Digger Drones actually do.

What's wrong?

Drone problem?

Already have a save? Analyze a save

Drone Troubleshooter

Diagnose a Drone problem

Why isn't my Sandustry Drone working? Pick the type and the symptom. The first answer is never "it is lost."

Drone type

Drone problem?

Check a Drone job

Drone diagnosis

Likely area

SCOUTING LIMITATION

Why

Recon Drone can quickly scout already-explored terrain, but it does not reveal unexplored black areas. It is a search helper, not a map-reveal tool.

Check

  1. 01Have you already explored the area you want to search?
  2. 02Are you looking for a creature in opened terrain?
  3. 03Are you expecting Recon to uncover fog or black tiles? That is outside what it does.

Next

Use Recon only on explored terrain, or open the Missing Creature Finder if you are hunting a creature.

Open Missing Creature Finder

Check Drone status from a save

This is Drone Status from Save, not a Lost Drone Finder. Coordinates stay off the map until they are verified against the live world.

Want a more specific diagnosis?

Analyze a save

Why isn't my Hauler Drone returning?

Not returned is not the same as lost. A Hauler may still be travelling, carrying cargo, waiting for drop-off, facing a blocked destination, sitting on an incomplete route, or simply far from its origin.

Still travelling
Carrying cargo
Waiting for drop-off
Destination blocked
Route state incomplete
Actually far from origin

A Hauler still carrying material usually means it hasn't completed the destination or drop-off stage yet. Check the endpoint before assuming the Drone is broken.

View database entry

How does the Recon Drone work?

Recon Drone can quickly scout already-explored terrain. It does not reveal unexplored black terrain.

Explored area

✓ Recon can scout

Use it to inspect terrain you have already opened, including creature searches.

Unexplored / black area

✕ Recon does not reveal it

It is not a map-reveal tool. Open the area first, then scout.

Looking for a creature?

Recon Drone can help you inspect already-explored terrain more quickly. Purple candidate markers can be useful community clues, but they should not be treated as guaranteed Voidgrazer locations.

Open Missing Creature Finder
View database entry

Hauler, Digger and Recon compared

How Sandustry Drones work: each type has one job. Pick the Drone that matches the work, then diagnose from that job instead of from a generic attribute list.

DroneBest forGuide
HaulerMoving materialsView database entry
DiggerAutomated excavationView database entry
ReconScouting explored terrainView database entry

Drone upgrades

Hauler upgrades

Fleet size · Speed

Digger upgrades

Cooldown · HP · Gravity · Fleet size

Plan Drone upgrades

Common Drone problems

Why is my Hauler holding material?

A Hauler still carrying material usually means it hasn't completed the destination or drop-off stage yet. Check the endpoint before assuming the Drone is broken.

Why did my Drone stop?

  1. Task still valid?
  2. Route / target?
  3. Cargo?
  4. Destination?
  5. Blocked?

How to find a missing Drone

  1. 1Return to its original route area.
  2. 2Check the destination or drop-off.
  3. 3Look for cargo or a blocked destination.
  4. 4Check buried or covered areas around the route.
  5. 5If you exported a save, use Drone Status to inspect recorded state.

Digger Drone basics

Used for automated excavation and digging tasks.

Upgrades

Cooldown · HP · Gravity · Fleet size

Common checks

  • Has it been assigned correctly?
  • Is the target reachable or valid?
  • Is the area already blocked?
  • Is the expected task still active?
View database entry

Current Drone issues

No confirmed current issue affecting this symptom.

Sandustry Drone FAQ

Why is my Hauler holding material?+

A Hauler still carrying material usually means it has not completed the destination or drop-off stage yet. Check the endpoint before assuming the Drone is broken.

Why did my Drone stop?+

Check whether the task is still valid, then the route or target, cargo, destination, and whether the endpoint is blocked. A stopped route is not automatically a bug.

Does the Recon Drone reveal unexplored black terrain?+

No. It does not reveal unexplored black terrain. Recon can scout already-explored areas more quickly.

How do I find a missing Sandustry Drone?+

Return to the original route, check the destination, look for cargo or a blocked drop-off, then inspect buried areas. If you have a save, use Drone Status. A missing Drone is not automatically lost.

Can this page show my Drone on the map?+

Not yet. Save coordinates are recorded, but they are not shown on the map until they are verified against the live game world.