Drone Weapon
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In the fictional television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis drone weapons are devices built by the Ancients that operate like guided missiles, usually swarming a target. A planetary defense system can fire thousands of drones at a time. [1]
Drones can be found on the Ancients' ships and outposts. These devices are incredibly powerful; in one instance, a pair of drones were able to destroy a Ha'tak. [2] (Though it has been theorised that the Drones merely hit a critical weak spot, since Lost City featured Ha'tak class ships being destroyed only after numerous hits).
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[edit] Capabilities
It would appear that Drone Weapons are hybrid energy/projectile weapons. They are normally controlled by an Ancient Control Chair that reads the operator's mind and can send thousands of drones swarming to attack an entire fleet of targets at once. [1] Smaller ships such as Puddle Jumpers [3] or Aurora class battleships also have Drones. [4] They appear to be a guided by a central control system using various available sensors [5] and can be controlled either by continuous operator control [6], or in a fire-and-forget/launch-and-leave manner. [5] They also appear to be multi-role weapons, capable of both conventionally destroying a target and completely dematerialising it. [1]
An active drone is enveloped in a bright yellow glow, and is apparently powered by a Zero-Point module mounted in the control chair. For normal operations, a ZPM is required [1], however, in emergency situations a control chair can also be powered using an advanced Mark II Naqahdah generator to allow the launch of Drone weapons. [6] Puddle Jumpers also lack a ZPM, but only bear a handful of Drone weapons themselves. Therefore, it would be logical to assume that the amount of power that is needed is directly proportional to the number of Drones in flight. [3] Drones also need an outside power source, and will even shut down and fall from the sky in mid-flight if this outside power source is disabled. [5] It is unclear exactly what mechanism Drone Weapons use to cause damage to their targets. A drone was observed causing a relatively small explosion on impact [5], while a swarm of Drones enveloped a Kull warrior while on its way from Anubis' attacking fleet and appeared to disintegrate it entirely. [1] Conversely, two Drone Weapons are enough to completely destroy a Goa'uld Ha'tak if it hits a critical spot [2] and a single drone can seriously damage a Wraith cruiser. [7]
Drones have the ability to shield itself from impact with matter to a certain degree, for example ice and the interior of the Ancient outpost on Earth, allowing it to "tunnel" through solid ground. Drones have also been observed passing through ships, with unused ones heading back to their launch site. [1] They can also be used under water. [8]
Goa'uld shields are easily penetrated by Drones [1], although they are unable to penetrate the Ancient shields of a modified Puddle Jumper. However, a single Drone did significantly damage the Jumper, even through the shield. [8] It is now widely assumed that a Drone weapon could penetrate a Ori Battlecruiser's shields, as Asgard technology (known to be inferior to Ancient technology) was able to in Unending (Stargate SG-1). In an alternate reality, Earth's Drone Chair was able to fend off one Ori Battlecruiser. [9]
As per their name, Drones are partially intelligent weapons that are capable of seeking, tracking, and engaging targets on their own accord (it is also worth noting that because drones are intelligent, they can dodge weapons fire directed towards them, unlike normal missles which can be shot down long before hiting the intended target, as demonstrated by the fact that Daedalus launched missles are shotdown by Wraith darts while drones easily dodge the darts), unless they are directed to do differently by the user of the Control Chair. [1] It is currently unknown if there are any differences in controlling a Drone if its launched from a ship as opposed to a Control Chair. [10]
[edit] Encountered Drones
In the Pegasus Galaxy, drones are very rare in the aftermath of the loss of the Ancient's war against the Wraith. They have however been found in Atlantis where only a few dozen drones were left after the siege by the Wraith over 10,000 years ago. [6] A larger supply was found in Atlantis' sister city, that was later used to replenish Atlantis' armory. [5] They are also found on Puddle Jumpers [3] and Aurora class battleships. [4] In the Milky Way, thousands of drones have been discovered in Ancient outposts such as the one in Antarctica on Earth but none were seen on Proclarush Taonas. [1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Lost City" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ a b "It's Good to Be King" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ a b c "Rising" (Stargate Atlantis)
- ^ a b "Aurora" (Stargate Atlantis)
- ^ a b c d e "The Tower" (Stargate Atlantis)
- ^ a b c "The Siege, Part II" (Stargate Atlantis)
- ^ "Condemned" (Stargate Atlantis)
- ^ a b "The Return" (Stargate Atlantis)
- ^ "The Road Not Taken" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "No Man's Land" (Stargate Atlantis)
[edit] External links
- "Drone Weapon" at GateWorld Omnipedia.
| Technology in Stargate | Edit | |
| Tau'ri | GDO | Horizon | IDC | Stargate Iris | Kull Disruptor | P90 | MALP | The Seeker Project | Naqahdah Generator Wraith retrovirus | F-302 | Prometheus (BC-303) | Daedalus-class Battlecruiser |
 |
| Goa'uld/Tok'ra | Al'kesh | Death Glider | Ha'tak Mothership | Hand Device | Healing Device | Intar | Memory Recall Technology | Sarcophagus | Staff Weapon Tel'tak | TER | Tunnel Crystals | Zat | Zatarc detector |
|
| Ancient | Ancient City Ship | Ancient Control Chair | ATA Gene | Atlantis | Aurora-class Battleship | Dakara Weapon | DHD DNA Resequencer | Drone Weapon | Healing Device | Project Arcturus | Puddle Jumper | Repository of Knowledge Ring Transporter | Sangraal | Stargate | Time Dilation Device | Zero Point Module |
|
| Asgard | Beliskner-class ship | Daniel Jackson-class ship | O'Neill-class ship | Thor's Hammer | |
| Other | Wraith Dart | Wraith Hive-Ship | Supergate | Ori Mothership | |
| Lists by race | All | Tau'ri | Ancient, Aschen, Asgard, Goa'uld, Ori, Tok'ra, Tollan, Wraith | Other | |
