History Main / AttackDrone

*** The novel ''Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash'' has the Ξ Gundam's Funnel Missiles that in addition to the abilities of the regular funnels, can explode upon impact with the enemy - hence the name.

** ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Gundam Wing]]'' has ''Defense'' Drones called planet defensors, which generate an electromagnetic barrier field. At least once, Heero tries to use them offensively, pairing them off and using the force "chain" like bolas to knock Wing Zero's beam saber out of its hand. The manga spin-off ''G-Unit'' (aka ''[[MarketBasedTitle Last Outpost]]'') introduces the Hydra Gundam, whose shoulder cannons are effectively incoms.

** The Imperium of Man is leery of A.I.s but will make use of drones slaved to a [[PsychicPowers psyker]]'s will or imbued with a limited "machine spirit". These come in the form of servo-skulls, the remains of devoted servants outfitted with logic engines, anti-gravity drives, and sensors or weapons packages. To reiterate, these are ''flying human skulls'' that act as assassins, scouts, or simple {{familiar}}s.

** As of ''Unidentified Fantastic Object'', [[BonusBoss Nue]] has her [[FlyingSaucer UFOs]] to assist her as part of some of her spellcards.

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[[quoteright:350:[[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/taudrones.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[Film/TheMatrix "Never send a human to do a machine's job."]]]]

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The major difference between Attack Drones and MechaMooks is a matter of size and shape. A Mecha Mook is usually in the size and/or shape of a humanoid or animal, while a drone is aircraft-like or entirely mechanical in appearance (though there is some crossover in the form of SpiderTank drones). In short, a Mecha Mook may look, if only on the most basic levels, like a person or animal, while an Attack Drone is unmistakably a ''thing''. The other difference is, as noted above, that an Attack Drone is directly commanded or controlled, directly tied to said controller as an extension of it as opposed to the more independent Mecha Mook. Also, an Attack Drone is more often than not smaller than its controller, and in many cases can be carried until it is ready to be unleashed.

* Is immune to, and may block enemy fire.

* The Independence Army's invasion fleet in ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasDriftsInTheUniverse'' consists entirely of unmanned drones, which Doraemon and gang - including their new friends, Lian and his Space Knights Troupe - blows up in entire droves, before Doraemon, Nobita and Lian (backed up by Gian, Suneo and Shizuka in their own ships) finds and destroy the antenna tower controlling the fleet. Given that Doraemon is a G-rated manga, this is probably intentional so the heroes can destroy plenty of enemies in an action-packed climax without any moral issues (with Gian boasting he's about to get his 100th kill before Suneo and Shizuka reminds him it's ''not'' a contest).

*** The original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' novel puts a twist on this with the Elmeth. While the anime version just has standard beam gun-equipped bits, the novel version has some which are essentially psychically-guided [[NukeEm nuclear missiles]].
*** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory'' kind of cheats this one with the Neue Ziel, whose forearms can detach on control cables; this was explained as the Ziel using an experimental "half-system" in which the control duties are split between the pilot and a dedicated computer. Since this happens a good five in-universe years before practical incoms were developed, it was {{Ret Con}}ned into being the precursor to said system.

** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'' has some of the most fearsome attack drones in the franchise - Mobile Armours, here interpreted as huge, AI-controlled genocide weapons, can mass-produce 'Plumas' ('feathers'), drones slightly bigger than tanks that fight alongside their 'mother', hunt down anything it can't reach, and gather resources for it in order for it to keep going and keep making more Plumas until everything in the target area (which can be an entire planet) is dead. They wiped out a quarter of the human race during the GreatOffscreenWar that shaped the setting before they were finally put them down. In a more traditional example, the wire-tail bit that the Hashmal (and after a rebuild with Hashmal parts, Barbatos Lupus Rex) uses also counts by being a remotely controlled blade that requires spatial awareness (of an AI or a pilot with Alaya-Vijnana cyberjacks installed) to be operated.

* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'':
** ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'' introduced the Blaster Bits, four attack drones Nanoha controls which can copy her spells, including [[WaveMotionGun Starlight Breaker]]. Nanoha is basically a human Gundam to some extent, so this was pretty much inevitable.
** In ''Manga/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce'', Raising Heart has herself turned into an Attack Drone so she can continue to assist Nanoha after she gets assigned a {{BFG}} that requires both hands to use.
** The movie version of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'' gave Durandal Attack Drones that reflected overflowing mana from spells back towards the target in order to focus the spell's power.

* ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'' has [=GunDober and GunGrue=], their personal motorcycle and mini-chopper, which transform into robots. In addition to being simply driven, they also take wireless commands from Volfogg; he even has tactical maneuvers with them. And they [[CombiningMecha combine]] with him into Big Volfogg.
* In ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency'', Caesar's signature technique uses [[BubbleGun soapy water]] to create swarms of Hamon-infused bubbles which he can control remotely and attack his foes from afar.
* ''Manga/UntilDeathDoUsPart'': These things are the weapon of choice for assassin Fang. Additionally, they have a noise dampener on them so they're utterly silent; the fact that Mamoru's [[GogglesDoSomethingUnusual "eyes"]] can't detect them is a bonus.

* In ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion 3.33'', [[spoiler:Unit-13 has a quartet of attack drones capable of generating their own AT Fields. The four of them together proved to be nearly an even match for an enemy Evangelion on their own.]]
* The first NewTransferStudent Ritsu from ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'' ''is'' an attack drone. Her full name is ''Jiritsu Shikou Kotei Houdai'', or "Autonomously Thinking Fixed Artillery" in English.
* ''Anime/PanzerWorldGalient'': The Eraser combines this with KillSat. It's a network of computer-controlled mechanical devices that uses a powerful gravity surge to destroy the surfaces of planets.
* ''Anime/GenocidalOrgan''. The drop pods deploying the special forces unit also deploy small gatling-equipped helicopter drones as close air cover.
* ''Anime/AkudamaDrive'': Hacker always has two drones that are shaped like bear heads by his side when it comes to moving from place to place or blowing enemies to smithereens.
* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'':
** After Akira upgrades to a CoolBike model with remote weapon mounts, his VirtualSidekick Alpha can both drive and fire from it, making it into one of these useful for a CombinationAttack.
** A black FlyingSaucer fleet Akira encounters launches these from its DroneDeployer mothership while it provides fire support with its WaveMotionGun. When they accomplish their objective of slaying a different group of monsters, the smaller drones self-destruct instead of being recalled.
** Most MiniMecha in the setting are equipped with autopilot functions which is shown when the PlayfulHacker Shirou busts some out of storage to help defend his convoy, obviously being less effective than if they were piloted.

* ComicBook/{{Madman}}'s friend Dr. Gillespie Flem kept a hive of robotic drones to assist in his experiments, the most commonly seen ones being Marie and Warren, his "helping hands".

** ''ComicBook/KingsRansom'': The "Pro-Spider Slayers" are drones piloted by Threats And Menaces subscribers which were meant to help the heroes in battle. While Jonah designed them to be non-lethal, they still cause a lot of collateral damage and end up turning on each other.
* The Iron Patriot drones in ''ComicBook/SecretAvengers''.
* The [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/TIE/D_automated_starfighter TIE/D automated starfighter]] from ''Franchise/StarWars: ComicBook/DarkEmpire''.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' story arc ''ComicBook/DeathAndTheFamily'', Dr. Light sends bug-like drones armed with plastic explosive to blow up a chunk of Insect Queen's lair.
* In ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2011'' Dr. Poison uses cloaked remote controlled drones to release airborne poisons. Her attempt to attack a G8 summit this way is thwarted by ComicBook/WonderWoman.

* The Sentinels from ''Film/TheMatrix'' may qualify, depending on just how smart they actually are.
* In the CyberPunk movie ''Film/BabylonAD'' fighter drones patrol the Bering Strait, literally [[ShootEverythingThatMoves killing everything that moves]] whether wildlife or illegal infiltrators.
* The Hunter-Killers and their predecessors from the ''{{Franchise/Terminator}}'' series.

* In ''Film/TheATeam'' film the team have to fight two ''jet-powered'' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MQ-9_Reaper Reapers]] while parachuting in a tank.

** In ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'', Peter Parker receives a pair of high-tech glasses as a gift from Tony Stark, allowing him to control an entire arsenal of drones deployed from an orbiting satellite. [[spoiler: Mysterio (Quentin Beck) and his crew were already operating a swarm of hologram-camouflaged, heavily-armed drones, which they used to stage the Elemental attacks. Pretending to be a hero, Beck manipulates Peter into giving him the glasses, and thus access to even more drones.]]
* The aliens in ''Film/BattleLosAngeles'' make extensive use of UAV drones as their air force. These drones are centrally controlled from large underground floating structures, and are capable of exceeding Mach 7; ''ramming'' is as good a tactic for them as firing their guns. And there's thousands of them.
* The BigBad in ''Film/EagleEye'' controls a Predator drone to chase after the protagonist, who attempts to stop [[spoiler:the assassination of most of the government]]. The drone [[spoiler:is destroyed by a HeroicSacrifice]].
* In the remake of ''Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill2008'', the military uses two drones to attack GORT. GORT destroys the missiles with lasers and then takes control of the drones to destroy some nearby tanks.
* In the ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequels, the Separatists use droid armies. This extends to various types of droid starfighters.

* The spherical, [[MoreDakka heavily armed]], [[MadeOfIron tough as hell]] drones Jack repairs for a living in ''Film/{{Oblivion|2013}}''. [[spoiler:Turns out the reason this trope is being used is an ArtificialIntelligence is using them to KillAllHumans, unknown to Jack.]]
* In ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'' the ''Vengeance'' could launch drones that in turn were capable of launching several photon torpedoes before crashing into a target.
* In ''Film/EndersGame'', the fighters launched from IF carriers are mentioned to be drones.[[spoiler: Since the battles aren't actually simulations, the fighters are almost definitely piloted, as they are in the book.]] In a pinch, they can be used as an impromptu shield, constantly moving in a cocoon-like shape around the ship, filling in "holes" in the "shield". The commanders even have a "shield integrity" gauge on the screen.
* The 1983 satire ''Film/DealOfTheCentury'' involves Chevy Chase and Sigourney Weaver attempting to sell these to the dictator of a BananaRepublic.
* In the ''Film/FuriousSeven'' climax, Mose Jakande drops a drone he calls "the Predator" (even though it looks nothing like the RealLife MQ-1 Predator) that has VTOL capability, missiles, and a [[GatlingGood Vulcan cannon]]. Throughout the battle, it's remotely controlled by one of Jakande's {{Mook}}s. It's finally brought down by some CarFu from [[spoiler:Luke Hobbs with an ''ambulance'']]. He then proceeds to grab the drone's {{BFG}} and [[spoiler:let it loose against Jakande's gunship]].
* In ''Film/Mosul2020'', the Nineveh Province SWAT Team encounters multiple Islamic State drones fitted with Improvised Explosive Devices ([=IEDs=]). One suicide drone successfully destroys one of the team's Humvees, but the rest are shot down by nearby [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Mobilization_Forces Popular Mobilization Unit]] soldiers.
* A non-lethal variant in ''[[Film/ShortCircuit Short Circuit 2]]''. As Johnny 5 is being brutally beaten by the thieves, he uses his antenna to hijack a kid's remote-control airplane and use it to chase away the the thieves.
* ''Film/{{Toys}}'' features drones the size of ordinary remote controlled toys with full power weapons controlled via videogames.
* In the ''Film/{{Phantasm}}'' movies, the Sentinel Spheres are the Tall Man's signature weapons. The spheres are created by the Tall Man using sinister unknown technology and contain the brains of his victims. Each sphere has a nasty assortment of blades, drills, and lasers that make mincemeat out of people.
* In the sci-fi DieHardOnAnX movie ''Film/{{Cyberjack}}'', the police force uses a remote-controlled drone to flush out the terrorists who have taken over a computer science lab. However, they almost immediately mistake the lone hero Nick for one of the bad guys and he spends considerable time trying to avoid the drone.
* One is used in a scene of ''Film/Outpost37'' to attack a "Heavy" alien and save an informant.
* ''Film/RobotWorld'': At some points in the movie, the astronaut encounters these, which come after him.

* The Literature/PerryRhodan series has droid ships.
* ''Literature/TheCulture'': Culture "Drones" are not this, since they're all at least Human-equivalent intelligences. However, the knife missiles occasionally seen when Special Circumstances dispenses with subtlety are.
** It helps to distinguish non-sentient drones from sentient Drones. Knife missiles are of course drones controlled by Drones. Simple.
* Creator/ScottWesterfeld's ''Literature/TheSuccessionDuology'' series has attack drones in spades, of both AI-controlled and remotely-piloted varieties, from FTL-comm equipped forward command drones used to cut down on lightspeed lag in interplanetary-distance battles to "flockers", finger-sized kinetic kill missiles with onboard AI control, which network with each other to become a sort of computerized HiveMind before ramming their targets at velocities normally reserved for railgun projectiles.
* ''Literature/SpectralShadows'' has Blair Montgomery inventing some sort of half cybernetic half organic bee creatures that can essentially become this.
* In ''Literature/TourOfTheMerrimack'', the Romans use lots of unmanned drones. Though less intelligent than piloted fighters, they are far cheaper to mass-produce. They have shields, weapons, FTL drives, and {{Self Destruct Mechanism}}s to prevent them from being captured. [[spoiler:This last feature ends up being a bit of a mistake]].
* Creator/DaleBrown books have the [=FlightHawk=] and [=StealthHawk=] drones, as well as in later books whole EB-1C Vampire remote-controllable bombers.
* A bunch of nonhumanoid gardencare droids are converted into these during ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear''. They're surprisingly effective.
* Creator/RobertSheckley's short story "[=Watchbird=]" is an early examination of this trope.

* In ''Literature/{{Armada}}'', the titular MMO game, as well as its companion ''Terra Firma'' involve players remote-controlling drones (space fighters in ''Armada'' and ground robots in ''Terra Firma'') against [[StarfishAliens Sobrukai]] drones in a battle for Earth. [[spoiler:The games turn out to be realistic simulations, preparing future drone pilots for an actual war against aliens, who are also using drones. Real-time control is achieved via a [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum reverse-engineered]] alien [[SubspaceAnsible quantum communication]] link]].
* Subverted in ''Literature/TheMachineriesOfEmpire''. Drones aren't used in combat, because the setting's calendar-based FunctionalMagic doesn't allow them to channel formation effects the way humans can. However, when Cheris realizes that this isn't true for the heretics' calendar, she does end up sending her fleet's drones into battle.
* ''Literature/JoePickett'': In ''Breaking Point'', EPA director Juan Julio Batista attempts to take out Butch Roberson by calling in a military drone strike on him. The Hellfire missiles deployed wind up igniting a massive wildfire
* Chris Rucchio's ''Literature/TheSunEater'' series, the alien Cielcin used "Nahutes" as their main weapon against the [[DeflectorShield Dune-style shielded humans]]. A Nahute is a drone shaped like a mechanical snake and capable of limited flight. The superstrong Cielcin can throw them at great distance and while the initial throw usually sets off the shield, attacking Nahutes have a good chance of not setting off the shield. On a successful attack, they latch on to the victim and can easily chew through the ceramic-titanium armour on a human to burrow inside for an agonizing death. A huge drawback is that the rare human with a cybernetic link can hack and disable Nahutes.
* Military science fiction ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'' features these in realistic near-future roles. They are especially much employed by the Republic of Azania, a technologically advanced LadyLand that uses robotics, artillery, information technology and other force multipliers as much as possible to compensate for its inferior manpower base.
* ''Literature/QuantumDevilSagaAvatarTuner'': The Karma Temple's inner defenses have several drones. [[spoiler:With the [[RoboticReveal Warrior Priests]] among them]].
* ''Literature/AfterDoomsday''. The protagonists return to Earth to find it destroyed and the solar system full of automated missiles attacking anyone who shows up. Their first priority is to capture and disarm one of these missiles so they can examine it for clues on who is responsible. It's later suggested the missiles were placed there mainly as a deterrent so the guilty party could claim the planet for themselves once the radiation had died down.
* A vintage example using ''model planes'' as aerial attackers appears in ''[[Literature/{{Spellsinger}} Moment Of The Magician]]''. Although not projectile-armed, the planes' rotor-blades prove very dangerous to a raven messenger they pursue.
* ''Literature/LaszloHadronAndTheWargodsTomb'': The security of SecretGovernmentWarehouse Sel'Akis consists largely of these [[spoiler:and the Wargod deploys a massive fleet of automated warships.]]
* ''Literature/AfterTheRevolution'': Drone warfare is incredibly common, both during the SecondAmericanCivilWar and after. The Secular Defence Forces surrounding Dallas makes heavy use of autonomous drones with military AI driving them, giving them an edge against the otherwise superior Heavenly Kingdom who only use remote-controlled ones (who the SDF keep jamming) due to a religious ban on thinking machines. The opening chapters of the book sees heavy use of new, unjammable drones and vehicles by the Heavenly Kingdom that spearhead their new offensive. [[spoiler:We later learn [[WetwareCPU exactly how they managed to work around that particular issue.]]]]

* Franchise/StargateVerse:
** In the ''Stargate'' franchise, there is the Ancient drone weapon. A remotely controlled swarm of small, self-propelling projectiles that can avoid obstacles and friendly targets to attack and destroy enemies. Used to destroy Anubis's fleet and many Wraith ships. Seems to have been the primary weapon of the Ancients.
** An episode of ''Series/StargateSG1'' also had the team travel to a planet where one side in a conflict used remote-controlled drones for defense. The other side also had unmanned reconnaissance craft, but their bombers were manned.
** On occasion, the SGC would launch a small remote-controlled recon plane through the gate. They would then use that little plane to spot targets for the next thing that would go through the gate: a guided missile. In a later episode they armed a UAV with missiles of its own. Unfortunately it was shot down before it could use them.
** ''Series/StargateUniverse'' introduces automated drones that attack all other sources of advanced technology, including the ''Destiny'' and the civilization built by the crew's alternate timeline descendants. [[spoiler:In the series finale the crew make an early FTL jump to another galaxy at low power to escape them.]]
* ''Series/BurnNotice'': Michael has to deal with one at the beginning of season 3. He explains in the voice-over that it works by being given a target area, and it then kills anything in that area. So he leaves the area. Which was difficult, since it was already shooting at him.
* Franchise/StarTrek:
** ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'':
*** In Season 2, Episode 3, "The Changeling", a space probe is sterilizing planets, and Captain Kirk must find a way to stop it.
*** In Season 2, Episode 6, "The Doomsday Machine", Commodore Decker loses his entire crew to a planet-eating machine, and pulls rank on Kirk to take command of the ''Enterprise'' to try and stop it.
** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': The episode "The Arsenal of Freedom" features an advanced series of adaptive attack drones. So advanced, in fact, that they [[HoistByHisOwnPetard destroyed the civilization that created them]] and nearly destroyed the ''Enterprise'' as well.
** ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'': The season 2 finale features [[spoiler:[[AIIsACrapshoot Control]] fighting the ''Discovery'' and the ''Enterprise'' with a fleet of 38 remote-controlled ships, all of which then launched hundreds of fighter drones. As soon as Control!Leland is disabled, all of its ships and drones go inert, allowing the ''Enterprise'' and the Klingons to destroy them.]]
* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'': Chuck has his father who uses his elite hacking skills to call on drone attacks from predators as his favorite tactic.
* A victim of the week in ''Series/IZombie'' is revealed to have been killed by a shipping drone (like the ones Amazon claims to be working on) with an attached 3D-printed gun. The killer is, at the time, sitting in a board meeting, giving him the perfect alibi, while using his tablet to operate the drone. Unfortunately for him, he forgot to wipe all traces of it from his computer.

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' has multiple versions of attack drones.
** The most prolific users are the Tau, who field entire squadrons of drones or attach them to infantry or [[MiniMecha battlesuit]] units. Variants include combat drones armed with pulse carbines and grenade launchers designed to suppress infantry, drones with missile pods to assist the {{BFG}}-wielding Broadside Battlesuit Teams, shield drones to absorb incoming fire, sniper models and the new shielded missile drones specifically designed to protect and assist the equally new [[HumongousMecha XV104 Riptide Battlesuit]]. They all kinda resemble large, heavily-armed frisbees (some fans even refer to them as "Frisbees of Death" or occasionally "Bin-Lids").
** The Imperium of Man is leery of AIs, but will make use of drones slaved to a [[PsychicPowers psyker's]] will or imbued with a limited "machine spirit." These come in the form of servo-skulls, the remains of devoted servants outfitted with logic engines, anti-gravity drives, and sensors or weapons packages. To reiterate, these are ''flying human skulls'' that act as assassins, scouts, or simple {{familiar}}s.
** The [[MachineCult Adeptus Mechanicus]], on the other hand, make further use of HumanResources for their drones. Servitors are condemned criminals[[note]]or vat-grown clones, or political dissidents, or "retired" soldiers...[[/note]] who are given lobotomies and extensive cybernetic implants. Among their roles as technicians or unskilled labor, some servitors are rigged with heavy weapons and accompany Tech-priests on the battlefield, or support their security forces.
** Nurglite forces have Blight Drones, an unholy fusion of helicopter, rusting pile of junk, and assault cannon.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' has Riggers who pilot drones through a wireless VR interface, and Pilot programs for autonomous drones. Due to stealth concerns, [=PCs=] usually don't use them nearly as much as corporate security, of course.
** On the other hand, Riggers are hard to identify because they're usually two blocks away from the action, which means that a smart Rigger lives a for a ''very'' long time.
** For example, [[http://www.weregeek.com/2008/03/14/ Twitch]] from ''Webcomic/{{Weregeek}}''. And [[http://www.weregeek.com/2008/03/28/ her drones]] (''that's'' in character for Twitch).
** Examples include the Steel Lynx ground-combat drone.

** A few of the more serious {{Game Breaker}}s that people have devised use the Ally rules to build brutally efficient attack drones.

** The Lucifer class terror drone is a frightening example. Basically X-9 Ghost about the size of a space shuttle designed for independent commerce raiding. Faster than all but the fastest of exos and packing immensely powerful particle cannons it easily qualifies as a Lightning Bruiser.

* Fairly common in ''TabletopGame/EclipsePhase'', Extropian [[LawEnforcementInc judicial hypercorps]] usually have them stationed around their coverage areas.
* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'':
** The Star League had the M-series of drone [=WarShips=], known as "Caspar", as well as the Pavise automated defense station and the [=BlackWasp=] and Voidseeker automated interceptors. Lacking any pesky crew to house/feed/breathe/protect, they typically had raw performance characteristics far above other ships of comparable size and mass[[note]]An unmanned craft has no worry of G-LOC or the other nasty effects of sustained G-Forces[[/note]], and because they lacked squishy crew who died when the atmosphere vented, often continued to fight with damage that would have rendered a manned [=WarShip=] inert. Combined with the fact that it was not uncommon for a major system to have ''hundreds'' of Caspars and ''thousands'' of interceptor drones, when they were turned against their Star League makers during the Amaris Coup they were by far the most formidable obstacle the Star League Defense Force faced. On the other hand, they could ''not'' be set use their jump drives while the AI system was running. [[HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace Something would happen]] that caused the ship to reject all outside signals and view everything else on its sensors as a threat.
** While automated [=BattleMechs=] are sometimes rumored by people centuries after the fact, the Star League ''doesn't'' seem to have deployed ground-based or aerial-based attack drones at all. Only spacecraft. However, the Word of Blake ''did'' figure out how to rig a remote piloting systems into Battlemechs, but their performance was markedly inferior to traditionally manned mechs. And if the control signal got jammed, they went berserk and started shooting randomly.
* ''TabletopGame/TranshumanSpace'' depicts a future society with excellent robotics, and so a wide range of combat drones, from "brilliant" missiles up to robotic military spacecraft.
* Common in ''TabletopGame/{{Infinity}}'', where drones (called 'Remotes') take a variety of shapes from small humanoid robots to larger flying devices.
* In ''TabletopGame/HcSvntDracones'' drones are used instead of fighters, they try to get in the same hex as enemy ships and then deal automatic damage every turn, unless the enemy's flak barriers hit them.
* Present in ''TabletopGame/StarFleetBattles'' as the main weapon of the [[CatFolk Kzinti]], who can produce {{Macross Missile Massacre}}s with them.

* ''WebAnimation/FTLKestrelAdventures'': Inverted, initially, since the Crew bought the Drone Control System to use a point-defense drone. Many enemies though, use combat drones, One of them who proclaims himself as the greatest mercenary, uses nothing but Beam weapons including a beam drone.
* ''WebAnimation/NatrapsX'' features the ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}'' Options a couple times. First is in the original video when Rockman enters the Konami Code and fully powers-up a group of popcorn enemies to annihilate him. In "Final", Thomas destroys another set of enemies and gains an Option that mimics his punches and kicks, then immediately loses it to a poorly-timed roulette.

* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'': Doyt Gyo's kit had AI controlled [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2001-03-03 multi-purpose drones]]. Later [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2012-11-11 the armor Tagon and Pi are wearing]] have {{Shoulder Cannon}}s that can be set to engage targets independently and fly on their own, instead of remain attached to the PoweredArmor.

* Hated with a passion by the pilots in ''Webcomic/AirForceBlues'', as well as their operators.
* In ''Webcomic/LeavingTheCradle'', spaceborne automated drones superseded SpaceFighter's and are a popular strategy of dealing with enemy spaceships, by throwing hundreds of them at enemy in hopes of overwhelming their point defences.

* In ''Literature/TheLastAngel'', Nemesis has built a small army of robotic hunter killers that allow her to put troops on the ground when she needs to and that function to defend her against boarding parties. And every one of them has been optimised over 2000 years by an hyper-intelligent AI to be the very best at what it does, up to and including ''psychological'' warfare.

* ''Franchise/TransformersGeneration1'': Optimus Prime's trailer (in truck form) can transform into a mini-base with turrets and launch a small car drone for spying.
** In other incarnations (notably ''Anime/TransformersEnergon''), Optimus can sometimes combine with his attack drones to form a SuperMode.
*** The CombiningMecha in ''Energon'' are like this when separated.
** One of Soundwaves cassettes is a variation on this - rather than a self-aware Transformer, the [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Autoscout Autoscout]] was a remote sensor drone.
** In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', Soundwave transforms into a Reaper UAV. [[TransformationConventions Appropriately]], he is TheVoiceless, TheBlank, and TheSpyMaster, making him one of the most sinister decepticons in the series.
*** His deployer, Laserbeak, [[MetaMecha is a drone as well, and pops out of his chest.]] [[MemeticMutation Yo dawg, we heard you like UAV drones...]]
** The Vehicons from {{WesternAnimation/BeastMachines}}.

* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}''. Zapp introduces his new remote-controlled drones which don't need pilots. Leela is quick to point out that the machines do in fact have clearly visible pilots, to which Zapp responds that they're merely being used as ballast and can't actually control the drones.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'' (obviously called "Drones") features these... and the titular duo thinks that controlling them is a video game. HilarityEnsues.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MegaManFullyCharged'', Suna can control her Sunacopter drones with a tablet, which can crash into things or swipe weapons.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Armada is a minor villain who uses little flying robots.

*** The Beguir-Beu from the prologue is not a Gundam (in fact, it is a ManOfKryptonite to Gundams, due to its drone-disabling weapons), leaving it with a pair of wire guided drones, similar to the incoms from the Universal Century shows.

** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamTheWitchFromMercury'' has the "bit staves" of the Gundam Lfrith and Gundam Aerial which can combine together to form a shield on top of functioning as normal attack drones. Meanwhile, the Beguir-Beu from the prologue has a pair of wire guided drones, similar to the incoms from the Universal Century shows.

** Since about August-September 2022, Russians make massive use of drones from UsefulNotes/{{Iran}}, most notably the kamikaze drone Shahed-136, mainly targeting Ukrainian infrastructures with them.

[[quoteright:350:[[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/taudrones.png]]]]

** The OmegaEnding to ''VideoGame/AceCombat3Electrosphere'', [[spoiler:reveals that ''the PlayerCharacter'', Nemo, is an attack drone. More specifically, its an ArtificialIntelligence that was created by Simon Orestes Cohen to kill a BrainUpload version of Abyssal Dision, because he blamed him for the death of Yoko Martha Inoue.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Allegiance}}'', a free multilayer space combat simulator, has an interesting aversion: There are drone AI ships under the direct control of the team's commander, but they ''cannot'' attack the enemy. All the ships that can actually fight are flown by human beings; the drone ships perform "boring" (but essential) duties like mining, and must be defended by human players.

* From ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore 3'' to ''Armored Core: Last Raven'' the player could purchase a torso unit equipped with a "Exceed Orbit" function, where 1 or 2 weapon pods located on the back could detach and fire automatically at any enemies it saw (for some reason it could see through walls where as the rounds fired could not penetrate said walls, sometimes leading to waste of ammo if one wasn't careful) they came in shell-based and energy-based projectile versions, with differing damage and rate-of-fire stats, while the shell-based ones had more shots, the energy-based ones could recharge themselves when deactivated.
** Plus there are the "Orbit Cannons", a back part that launched up to three laser cannon drones that followed their selected target. The only draw back was that one only had a finite supply of these drones on any given mission, and they are weak as heck, so if your target is protected by terrain, the bits would hit the walls and explode. They do have their own power supply and energy spent only involves launching them. Plus, since the lock-on acts like a missile lock-on, missile extensions work with them too. It is fairly effective in [=PvP=] as well, since, as long as you engage them in wide open space, the bits follow your opponent wherever it goes and is fairly hard to shake unless you can outrun it or endure the withering attacks. A similar ArmCannon variant of it in Silent Line gives an option to launch 6 at once for MoreDakka.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Battleborn}}'':

* ''VideoGame/BioMenace'' had the [=RoboPal=], a rare example of an Attack Drone in a sidescroller.

* The Security Bots in ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' fulfill this purpose if hacked - instead of attacking Jack they will follow him and open fire on any hostiles. He can have up to two of these at any one time. This trend continues in ''VideoGame/BioShock2''; with level two of the Security Command plasmid, you can even summon friendly security bots on command, and level 3 lets you call in "Elite" versions with more health and higher attack power.
* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCalamityTrigger'', [[CanisLatinicus Nox Nyctores]] Nirvana, wielded by Carl Clover looks like a {{Mecha Mook|s}}, but functions like an Attack Drone in an actual fight. In [[VideoGame/BlazBlueContinuumShift Continuum Shift]], his [[ArchnemesisDad father]] [[MadScientist Relius]] reveals that he's made a similar one named Ignis.

* The Multi-Body powerup in ''VideoGame/BlazingLazers''.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOpsII'''s plot revolves around the increasing usage of drones by both the United States and Chinese forces being hijacked by a third party. Multiplayer allows use of them for various purposes, from simply [[EnemyDetectingRadar detecting enemies on the map]] to dropping a missile.

* In ''VideoGame/CannonDancer'', obtaining power-ups allows Kirin to project up to three phantom images of himself, which remain in place and attack simultaneously with him. They appear whenever he hits an enemy with an attack, and when he stops attacking they return to him. Although they can be placed floating in mid-air, they can't be re-positioned until they return to Kirin.
* Alucard's familiars in ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}: [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight Symphony of the Night]]''
** Similarly ''VideoGame/BloodstainedRitualOfTheNight'' as the spiritual successor to the Iga made Castlevania games, Miriam has familiars floating around her and attacking her enemies.
* In ''VideoGame/ChildrenOfADeadEarth'', drones are the closest thing to space fighters your ships can use. They are normally armed with a single, forward-facing weapon, usually the smallest size of weapon a spacecraft can mount, though larger drones can mount weapons similar in size to what mid-tier warships can mount (some can even deploy ''smaller'' drones), and are deployed from a small port on the side of a carrier ship. These drones are useful for harassing and occasionally even destroying enemy warships without risk to your larger ships, though their weakness to gunfire and low fuel reserves means that they normally only have one attack run to deal damage with before they are [[SpaceIsAnOcean "Dead in the Water"]], so to speak.

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' examples:
** In ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals'', most US vehicles can deploy one of three types of drones for a minimal fee: sentry drones to increase sight range and detect hidden enemies, battle drones with anti-infantry weapons and the ability to repair their "parent" vehicle, and (with the expansion) Hellfire drones to shoot missiles at enemy vehicles. Unlike other examples, these drones can be destroyed by enemy fire, and even targeted directly - in fact, enemy base defenses will by default target these drones first, giving the parent vehicles time to tear through the turrets and gun emplacements relatively unmolested.
** ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2 Red Alert 2]]'' and [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3 onwards]] are pretty generous with the trope. The practice differs according to alignment: heroic drones (Allies: [[MacrossMissileMassacre Hornets, Sky Knights]] and [[TankGoodness Robot Tanks]]) are slaved to an expensive master control (such as a [[CoolBoat seaborne]] [[DroneDeployer Aircraft Carrier]]) and villainous drones (Soviet: [[VehicularSabotage Terror Drones]], Yuri: [[PsychoSerum Chaos Drones]], Imperial: [[{{EMP}} Sunburst]] [[SuicideAttack Drone]]) are autonomous, brittle, cheap and, most importantly, disruptive to an opposing force. But one thing's for sure: since they're robots, [[PsychicBlockDefense mind control resistance]] and InsanityImmunity are always guaranteed.
* ''VideoGame/CryingSuns'' has Drones as one of its four squadron types. They’re generally the fastest squadrons in the game in terms of movement and attack speed, though their individual attacks aren’t very strong. They beat Frigates but lose to [[SpaceFighters Fighters]] in the game’s TacticalRockPaperScissors system.
* In ''VideoGame/DarkOrbit'' your drones are essentially just extra equipment slots, but look like this.

* One of the Cranial [[{{Nanotechnology}} nanoaugmentations]] you can equip in ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' is the Spy Drone, a hovering camera-bot with the ability to kamikaze into enemies and explode, dealing EMP damage.

* In the strategy game ''VideoGame/EndWar'', The [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks Joint Strike Force]] and [[EuropeanUnionIsASuperpower EF Enforcer Corps]] both have access to [[TankGoodness armed ground drones]], which are used to defend control points and mobile command vehicles, bonus points in that the Russian 'drones' are actually just infantry soldiers, who still get to be called drones.. In addition, all three playable factions can deploy air drones, which are used to scout out areas from above, as well as harass enemies with light weaponry.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'', if the Hunters win on the Armory map these will be deployed next match to hunt the monster
* One of ''VideoGame/Fallout3'''s companions is a Mister Gutsy robot named Sgt. RL-3. The ''Mothership Zeta'' add-on has Guardian Drones, which the player can make use of with the Drone Controller. ''Operation Anchorage'' features Chinese {{Spider Drone}}s. In the final mission of ''Broken Steel'', the Sentry Bots can be reprogrammed via terminal to fight on your side, although if you hit any of them with friendly fire, they will all turn hostile once again.
** The RobotBuddy ED-E in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' has this function, along with mobile storage and crafting tools with more added in ''Lonesome Road'' provided the Couirer has found them. Ulysses, the final boss of ''Lonesome Road'', is supported by a pair of respawning Eyebots, which also provide repair and healing services to him. This is bad because he is the single toughest boss in game[[note]]He has 100 skill in Guns, Melee Weapons, and Explosives, and 880 minimum to 1030 maximum hit points[[/note]], and you have a horde of Marked Men trying to kill you at the same time.

* Hovering laser drones are seen in the later levels of ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon FEAR]]''.

* In ''VideoGame/FTLFasterThanLight'', these come in several flavours (anti-ship, anti-personnel, dedicated drone Boarding Party), but need the appropriate subsystem to even start using.
** To elaborate, attack drones come in 3 flavors: Boarding Drones (Boarding, which actively attack enemy personnel once on board, and Intrusion, which stun enemy crew and deal ion damage to systems), Hacking Drones (Lock down systems and temporarily disrupt them or reverse their effects outright), and Combat Drones (MK I, which move about slowly and fire one laser before moving to fire again, and MK II, which move much more quickly). There are two inversions, however, in the Defense Drone series (MK I, which shoots down missiles and incoming boarding/hacking drones, and MK II, which fire faster and shoot down lasers/ion weapons in addition to having the capabilities of the MK I) and Ship-Board drones (System Repair, which automatically repair systems at about the same rate as an Engi, and Anti-Personnel, which do the same as standard Boarding Drones but hit the guys and drones that come on board your ship). Proper use of drones can mean the difference between victory over the Rebels or defeat at the hands of any of the innumerable dangers you'll inevitably encounter.

* ''VideoGame/{{Gaiares}}'' has the TOZ System. Not only does it help you get new weapons, it also fires out the weapon you have ''and'' it blocks shots.

* The Attack Drone from ''VideoGame/GeometryWars Galaxies'' (the succinct namesake of this trope).
* ''VideoGame/{{Gizmo}}'' has purple attack done that fire lasers at the PlayerCharacter.
* Trick Master, [[TheOjou Mint Blancmanche's]] personal [[CoolStarship Emblem Frame]] in ''VideoGame/GalaxyAngel'' is equipped with drones known as Fliers, which allow her to conduct remote attacks on multiple enemies at once. Having all of them concentrate their fire on a single enemy is her LimitBreak.

* In ''VideoGame/Goldeneye1997'', drone guns are DemonicSpiders that will kill you in a matter of seconds on higher difficulty levels. They show up again in [[VideoGame/GoldenEye2010 the remake]]. Although they are annoying as they were before, in this game you can use your Smartphone to hack them, which will cause them to attack any guards in their line of sight and then shut down.

* The Option (a.k.a. Multiple) in ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}'' is probably the UrExample for video games. Unlike most kinds of drones, these fire the exact same shots that the Vic Viper does at any given time, literally multiplying your firepower.
** The ''Yu-Gi-Oh'' trading card game even has "Gradius" and "Gradius' Option" as playable cards, since [[ShoutOut both are handled by]] Creator/{{Konami}}.
** ''Sexy Parodius'' makes the Option a playable character. Like most other characters in the ''VideoGame/{{Parodius}}'' series, it uses attack drones, which in its case are [[InvertedTrope miniature Vic Vipers]].
* In ''VideoGame/GroundControl'', the [[KnightTemplar Order]] has the [[DroneDeployer O11/BEHCCA “Orion” Drone Carrier]], which is a, technically, unarmed HoverTank that drops GHE Spider Drones, which hone in on enemy vehicles and explode when in the 5-meter radius of the target.

** In the ''VideoGame/Halo3'' backstory told in the terminals, this is taken to the extreme, with two ridiculously advanced Forerunner [=AIs=] duking it out with fleets of thousands of drone [[StandardSciFiFleet capital ships]] which are commandeered by the [=AIs=] after their crews die.

** In one point in ''[[VideoGame/Halo4 Spartan Ops]]'', MissionControl calls in a "suppressive fire" drone to launch an airstrike on the enemy leader's position.
** In ''[[VideoGame/HaloSpartanAssault Spartan Assault]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/HaloSpartanStrike Spartan Strike]]'', one armor ability allows you to summon an explosive homing drone.

* You'll see at least one kind of this in every ''VideoGame/{{Homeworld}}'' game, which by like the trope definition by default, is nothing more than a remote-controlled space gun with a bit of armor and engines slapped onto it. The Kushan Drone (''Homeworld'') is a mass-produced WeakTurretGun that stays put with its parent ship, the Somtaaw Swarmer (''Homeworld: Cataclysm'') is a quality-over-quantity autonomous craft which can do strafing runs (relative to the Kushan Drone) and the Progenitor Drone (''Homeworld 2'') is an unobtainable piece of deadly heavily armed and armored unmanned fighter technology which could only be built by a Progenitor Keeper that's just as deadly. The Progenitor Movers are unmanned, yet manually-controllable A.I. ships in ''Homeworld 2'' canon, much like their Keeper and its Drone offsprings. The DroneDeployer article has more on this.

* One of Jak's upgrades in ''VideoGame/Jak3Wastelander'' was a drone that hovered for a few seconds while spraying the area with gunfire.
** In a rare driving game example, ''VideoGame/JakXCombatRacing'' provided a defensive Red Eco drone that would disgorge an infinite stream of ammunition into anyone who got too close... for an all-too-brief time, as well as towers that stayed on place and fired machine gun or missiles at passing enemy vehicles.
* In ''VideoGame/JazzJackrabbit'', some levels contain caged green birds called Hip Hops that you can rescue. Hip Hops will relentlessly attack any enemies within range, but will disappear as soon as Jazz takes damage.

* The baby dragons in ''VideoGame/KeioFlyingSquadron''.

* "Teeny Ships" in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''.
** Also from the ''Kingdom Hearts'' Series are Marluxia's thorn shaped drones in ''Chain of Memories''. These also make a comeback in ''Re:Chain of Memories'' for the second and third battles against Marluxia. He sends out three drones at a time, and they each shoot three times every time he plays a card, but can easily be destroyed as enemies or taken out one by one by Cardbreaking Marluxia.
** Terra/Lingering Sentiment in ''Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix'' has an attack where he sends out several drones to surround you from different angles and shoot lasers. They chase you down, and move very quickly, even zig-zagging over your head before firing, but can be dealt with using Reflega or even jumping into them before they fire. They also disappear after a while if you didn't destroy them.

* In the original ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'', the hovering [=MADDs=] -- Marathon Automated Defense Drones -- are among your few allies. Well, except for the ones that have been reprogrammed to attack you and equipped with ''grenade launchers''...
** There's also the Pfhor attack drones in the second game, and the Cyborg Drones in the GameMod ''EVIL'', some of which are on your side, others which attack you.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' has these as commonly-encountered ''[[MechaMooks enemies]]'' used by the various opponents in the games.

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'', Peebee reprograms a Remnant Observer (that she nicknames Zap) and gives it to Ryder to use, taking the place of the Combat Drone from ME 2 and 3.

* The Fire Buddy PowerUp from ''Metals Arms: Glitch in the System'' follows Glitch around, shooting anything he shoots. Curiously, the Buddy even switches to the same weapon Glitch is using.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' features Cypher drones, which are based on the real-life Sikorsky CYPHER-T prototype unmanned aerial vehicle. There are two varieties; the surveillance type that alerts the enemy, and the direct attack type, which does not exist in the real world.
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' has Sentry Drones, which often fly around and spam you. They are destroyable, but pretty aggressive. Bonus points for the first appearance of them being when the Phendrana base is blacked out, so unless you have the thermal visor, you won't see them, and a mini-boss much later on, which is an INVISIBLE version, which can't be scanned or locked onto (unless with the Wavebuster, which is very good at killing the drone). There's even an underwater version in the crashed Frigate, but there are only two in the entire game and they aren't much different from the standard ones.
* The Helpers from ''[[VideoGame/ThreeWonders Midnight Wanderers]]'' assists Lou/Siva by their different abilities, like Firestorm's [[BreathWeapon flame breath]], and they can even be upgraded the longer one keeps them around.
* In ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', Sonya Blade's [[StanceSystem "Special forces" variation]] grants her an attack drone that floats next to her until a command is given. If not used, its lights will flash after some time and then it will disappear. Her "Demolition" variation causes a drone to appear to give her more [[ThrowDownTheBomblet grenades]]. Her daughter, Cassie, introduced in the same game, makes use of an attack drone in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11''. And of course, both characters use their drones in some of their [[FinishingMove fatalities]].

* ''[[VideoGame/MSSagaANewDawn MS Saga]]'' (being a Franchise/{{Gundam}}-based JRPG) has the various bits, funnels, and fin funnels available to different characters as spells. This gets somewhat jarring when those characters can use that equipment when they're piloting MS that doesn't have it, while ''other'' characters ''can't'' use it when they're piloting MS that ''does'' have it.
** ''Gundam Breaker'' allows you to equip funnel weapons by attaching the backpacks of certain mobile suits onto your unit. They end up being the most useful of weapons since their recharge time kicks in the moment they're launched and by the time they're finished, they're ready for use again in about a couple of seconds, and because they're EX attacks, they don't run on any ammunition.
** In the sequel, every funnel part except for Strike Freedom's [=DRAGOON=]s was reworked into subweapon equipment, though this time all subweapons except for health repair kits work on a cooldown gauge.
*** The third game lets players go the distance for "funnel" builds with the addition of the Builder Parts mechanic which allows you to add additional parts and weapons to any part of the body. This of course includes funnels and the base game allowing you to add regular funnels or Cherudim's shield bits and with DLC later adding AGE-FX's C Funnels and Arche Gundam's GN Fangs as well as Woundwort's Composite Shield Booster as a wire-tethered ''shield'' part. There's even a skill where you can launch large energy spheres that fire rapid fire beam volleys.
*** In an update, the skill used to release Strike Freedom's [=DRAGOON=]s will instead launch energy bits if the part isn't equipped.
* In ''[[VideoGame/{{Aleste}} M.U.S.H.A.]]'', options, once acquired, can be placed in six different formations. Only two options can be used at a time, though more can be kept as spares in case you lose a life.
* The ''[[VideoGame/NineteenFortyTwo 194X]]'' games had powerups that called smaller planes to fight by your side, which performed the role of Attack Drones, although the fact that these games are [[AnachronismStew arguably]] set during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and as such are likely piloted.
* In ''VideoGame/OnimushaDawnOfDreams'', Ohatsu's SuperMode releases demonic Attack Drones that can shoot at enemies around her. Apparently she somehow got this from previous series BigBad Nobunaga, her uncle [[FridgeLogic despite the fact that]] he was originally a human.

* The special attack of the "r" power up in ''VideoGame/{{Phalanx}}''. It doesn't shoot, but it kills most things on screen.
* The "companion" in the graphing calculator game ''Phoenix''.

* ''VideoGame/QuakeIV'' has the spherical [[TripodTerror tripodal]] Convoy drones that roll onto the battlefield(similar to the Droidekas in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequels, but weaker).
%%* Drones in MMORPG ''VideoGame/EVEOnline''.
* The ''VideoGame/RaidenFighters'' games had Slaves, miniature unmanned versions of your chosen fighter. Unusually for a scrolling shooter, the Slaves will die if they take enough hits. It's possible to play as a Slave by using a certain cheat code, and Slaves have the advantage of a smaller hitbox than the normal fighters, as well as a very powerful vulcan gun that makes up for their lack of [[ChargedAttack charged weapons]].
* A tool in ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002 Ratchet & Clank]]'' allowed the hero to enlist the help of a Sand Mouse, who would hover around Ratchet and attack enemies with a tiny, yet surprisingly powerful machinegun. ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando Going Commando]]'', the second game, had Synthenoids, which floated above Ratchet and fired at anything within range. The third game, ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankUpYourArsenal Up Your Arsenal]]'', gave Ratchet tiny robots that he could deploy for the same purpose. ''[[VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked Deadlocked]]'' gave him two permanent bots that were a big part of the story and gameplay, and could even be customized and upgraded just like Ratchet.

** ''Going Commando'', ''Up Your Arsenal'' and ''Deadlocked'' also had Miniturret Glove/Launcher, which dropped small towers holding miniguns/rocket launchers/lasers (depending on the version) and attacked everything nearby. In ''UYA'' maxed-out version was even able to teleport to nearby enemies and shoot those if they were out of range.
** The ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureToolsOfDestruction Future]]'' [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime series]] of [[Franchise/RatchetAndClank the games]] has Mr. Zurkon, who hands out both death and [[IShallTauntYou hammy insults]] to the enemy.
* ''VideoGame/RedFaction'' has Mecha Turrets, Spike Robots, and the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Ultor Combat Drone]] {{miniboss}}. The second game has [[ActionBomb exploding]] [[SpiderTank spider drones]].

* The Force Pod and Bits from ''VideoGame/RType''. Also, a BattleshipRaid in ''R-Type FINAL'' has among it's defenders, ships referred to as mobile turrets, essentially making them Captital-grade Attack Drones.

* The Advent fighters and bombers in ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire'' are actually drones (or anima) controlled by powerful [[PsychicPowers psychics]], according to [[AllThereInTheManual the manual]]. Each squadron is controlled by a single person, so this allows the Advent to spam fighters and bombers (they don't need to train dozens of pilots, just several controllers).
* In ''VideoGame/SilverSurfer'', you can collect orbs that attach to your surfboard and can be adjusted to fire in any of three directions, though only one can be deployed on horizontal levels.

* The Attack Drone in ''VideoGame/SmashTV'' was a destroyable one. Very annoying when you grab it while in the middle of a horde of enemies. Another separate {{powerup}} would set up a blade barrier around you that would hack up most (but NOT all) enemies, but not fire itself. And evaporated at the end of the room.
* ''VideoGame/SplinterCell: Chaos Theory'' has the [[UsefulNotes/NorthKoreansWithNodongs North Korean Army]] deploy a large number of flying drones armed with machine guns in the streets of Seoul once war breaks out. They can only be destroyed with a non-stealth loadout (only the F2000's shotgun or sniper attachments can take them out).
* ''VideoGame/{{SSTR}}'': The enemies you face in the game are little spherical drones deployed by [[BigBad [=SSTR=]]] to kill the humans on board The Horizon. They do so by floating towards them and administering electric shocks until they die.
* ''VideoGame/StarControl'' has non-lethal "[[FunWithAcronyms De-energizing Offensive Guided Interceptor]]" launched (up to 4 at once) by Chenjesu Broodhome ships. Three laser "[=ZapSats=]" follow the Chmmr Avatar ship in ''VideoGame/StarControl 2''.
* The Remote from the ''Franchise/{{Star Wars|Legends}}: [[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga JediKnight]]'' games.

* Geist, one of the commanders of the Sai faction in the game ''VideoGame/{{Stormrise}}'' is usually depicted with six of these and can control them with his PsychicPowers
* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' and ''VideoGame/Warcraft3'' both have attack drones. ''Starcraft'' has the Protoss Carrier, with Interceptor drones that can be targeted, but never are (either you have large amounts of light attackers that are hard to control that just shoot them done as the Interceptors exit the carrier, or you focus fire on carriers themselves, which then kills the connected Interceptors). ''Warcraft 3'' meanwhile has a large selection of temporary summonable units, generally summoned by heroes and in a few cases by normal caster units. They range from powerful monstrosities like the Dread Lord's Infernal or the Warden's Avatar of Vengeance, to swarming disposable minions like the Necromancer's Skeletons and the Tinker's Clockwerk Goblins, and everything in between. The Crypt Lord can even deploy a group of 5 permanent beetle minions as scouts or extra combat units, and can generate a swarm of untargetable locusts with it's ultimate ability.
* The three Options in the [[VideoGame/StriderArcade arcade version]] of ''VideoGame/{{Strider}}'': The Dipodal Saucers are two mushroom-looking drones which fly around Hiryu and attack with lasers; the Terapodal Robopanther is a [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin mecha panther]] that pounces on closing enemies and the Robot Hawk is [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin mecha hawk]] that dives in airborne enemies.
* Nanako from ''VideoGame/{{SUGURI}}'' has a half-dozen of these drones that she calls "Bits" orbiting her, which can swarm the opponent and bombard them with laser fire. Suguri (and Sora in her [[VideoGame/{{SORA}} game]]) can also equip similar drones to attack their enemies with.

** Sham in ''VideoGame/{{SORA}}'' also has her own set of drones, overlapping with MechaMooks and DroneDeployer, with two of her supers in ''Acceleration of Suguri 2'' consisting of them [[ZergRush zerg-rushing her opponent]].

* Again, the ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' series, in addition to the Franchise/{{Gundam}} examples listed above, also featured a number of original mecha with drones, such as the [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars64 Soldifar, Ashcleef]], [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAdvance Ashsaber]], [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAlpha Dis Astragant]], [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ Shuroga]], [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration R-Gun Rivale]], and more. Many of these Attack Drones' names follow the pattern of " [[GratuitousEnglish Slave]]".
** VideoGame/ShinSuperRobotWars: Aya's Strike Shields are notable in that they are entirely unarmed, with no guns or blades to speak of. They're just giant blunt bits of metal that she psychically smashes into people.
** VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration: Meanwhile, Ing's T Link Sliders can switch between blades, beam guns, and surrounding and forming a field to trap his enemies in. The large slider on his back however is just a sheath for his BFS.
* Attack drones appear as a ship option in the second expansion to ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars'', ''A Murder Of Crows''. They are the speciality of the Morrigi, who start with this technology.
* In ''VideoGame/TerraCresta'', your ship upgrade parts can temporarily detatch and act as attack drones. Ditto for its SpiritualSuccessor, ''VideoGame/DangarUFORobo''. The official sequel, ''Terra Force'', has ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}'' style drones.
* In ''VideoGame/TransformersRiseOfTheDarkSpark'', there's Laserbeak, whom Soundwave unleashes to fly around the immediate area to bombard the enemy with an salvo of lasers.

* ''VideoGame/TigerHeli'' would let you use these to decide if you wanted more forward or instead lateral shots.

** ''Imperishable Night'' only lets certain characters even ''have'' Drones, which are explicitly named "Familiars" - all youkai characters have one or two, but only one human, although the other humans have abilities to compensate. Enemy fairies and bosses may also use Familiars, which youkai can see through and shoot through - humans are out of luck in that regard, but they can still destroy them for Time Orbs.
*** There is actually a counter when you fight a named opponent showing how many slaves they've used in IN. It gets absurd when you fight Mokou, who apparently uses upwards of a ''thousand'' slaves.

* In ''[[VideoGame/UFOAfterblank UFO: Aftershock]]'', the player is allowed to research and wield those.

* In ''VideoGame/VegaStrike'' all 3 major races have drones on some stations and large ships: Human use [[http://forums.vega-strike.org/cpg/displayimage.php?album=13&pid=1389 Seaxbane]] (crippling weapons), Rlaan use Hellspawn (pair of powerful beams, piloted by [[BrainInAJar pet brain]]), Aera use Porcupine "[[SpaceMines mines]]" (very sluggish, not much ammo, but have a shield-piercing weapon, explode when approached and fit in normal missile launchers).
* In the UsefulNotes/XBoxLiveArcade game ''VideoGame/WingCommander Arena'', there is a PowerUp that gives you a clone of your ship that will fly in formation with you, and otherwise mirror your movements and actions until it's destroyed.

* Alien freighters in ''VideoGame/{{XCOM}}: Interceptor'' are protected by automated drones.
** Strangely enough, the drones were actually ''more'' effective at killing you than most of the aliens, because they were agile, fast, and infuriatingly difficult to hit. The only advantage you have over them is that their weapons are relatively pathetic: it's easy to ignore them, destroy the freighter, and jump to hyperspace without losing much of your shields. If, however, you decide to ''attack'' the drones...well, you're going to need another fighter.
** In ''VideoGame/XCOMUFODefense'' you got Tanks (armed with light autocannon, missile launchers or laser cannon) and later Hovertanks (armed with plasma cannon or [[WaveMotionGun Blaster Launchers]]) which appeared so be drone vehicles controlled from HQ as they required no crew and would continue to operate after all human soldiers were out of action. ''Terror from the Deep'' had Coelacanths, basically underwater tanks (armed with a gas-propelled cannon, torpedo launcher or gauss cannon), and Displacers, drone submarines (armed with sonic cannon or Pulse Wave Torpedo launcher).
** While they can operate with all the humans on the mission down, it's not recommended as tanks can't pilot the troop transport (obviously). Aborting the mission with all soldiers dead or unconscious will result in the transport and the tanks being lost as well.
** ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' gives you the Super Heavy Infantry Vehicle, or [=SHIV=]: robotic minitanks that can be armed with a [[GatlingGood gatling gun]], laser cannon, or plasma cannon. Other upgrades can give them the ability to [[PinnedDown suppress enemies]], act as mobile cover for your soldiers, or fly.
** ''VideoGame/{{XCOM 2}}'' has [=SPARKs=], which are 8-foot-tall humanoid robots that appear to act as MEC Troopers from the first game but are fully mechanical. Unlike [=SHIVs=], a SPARK can earn XP for kills and advance in rank. Unlike organic soldiers, though, you can't purchase alternative abilities using Ability Points. You can even customize their appearance and even give them [[Film/ShortCircuit Johnny 5]]'s head.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenonauts}}'', X-COM's Main/SpiritualSuccessor, the aliens employ these in several variants.
** Another SpiritualSuccessor called ''VideoGame/MercsOfBoom'' (formerly known as ''X-Mercs'') has drones in use both by the aliens (a weak flying pyramid and a powerful tentacly thing reminiscent of ''Film/TheMatrix'' Sentinels; both are capable of teleporting) and by the various human factions (a machinegun-armed tank and a missile-armed flyer). While players can't bring drones on missions the way mercs can be, they're in the inventory as single-use items and can be deployed as needed. Your WrenchWench back at the base can build more, but you can also purchase them at the market (even during missions).
* Elly's Aerods in ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'' work like ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'''s funnels story-wise, [[GameplayAndStorySegregation but is only treated as another spell in game]].
** "Seven" from ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' (named like that because of the WalkingSpoiler nature of the character) has these equipped as 'foot' equipment, even though she has them on her back. These are used as her [[EveryoneHasASpecialMove Talent Art]]. This one has the distition of being the only one in the game that is customizable. Depending on the Drone she has equipped, her Talent Art changes from a BladeSpam to even a WaveMotionGun attack!
* ''X Multiply'' had a pair of pods that attached to either side of the ship by tentacles.
* One of the earliest power-ups from ''VideoGame/{{X2}}'' (a 1996 Playstation game from Team17 - not to be confused with the Egosoft computer game), a tiny floating sphere that follows your ship and fires weak energy bolts at the aliens. You can collect as many sphere as possible, having up to 6 drone spheres backing you up when battling the aliens.
* ''[[VideoGame/{{X}} X3: Terran Conflict]]'' has several types of Attack Drones (called Fighter Drones), which are dropped out from ship cargo bays and attack the nearest enemy ship (or you) or whatever the player designates. The small size of the fighter drones means players can shove thousands of them into cargo bays and use them to [[GameBreaker take down battleships and massive carriers]].
** [[SpamAttack Mainly because it maxes out your computer's CPU]], forcing the game to do triage with the AI behavioral scripts (some will stop, allowing the others to continue).

* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' has Psycho Launchers, which are essentially a pair of personal attack drones that serve as the ranged weapon for the Blast Fencer and Galactic Knight classes. A more traditional drone is also available for Skells to equip, and will bombard the target with lasers for a while when summoned. Combining this with effects that reduce/reset cooldowns can lead to unholy levels of BeamSpam, as several groups of drones can be active simultaneously. After clearing the main story campaign, you can unlock super weapons, two of which are drone-based; one being a massive [[KillSat kill sat]] that fires an incinerating thermal beam and another which launches series of disk-shaped blades that slice and dice everything within a large circular radius
** On the flipside, the Ganglion also have drone weapons equipped to their giant Xern machines, launching Drone Eggs that don't fire nearly as much your Skell, but hit like a tank and will most certainly kill you unless you're in cockpit mode or have insane evasion stats.

* Jehuty Ver. 2 in ''[[VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner]]'' has 3 [=WISPs=] floating around it that mimic its base ranged attack, can grab enemies from afar like a grappling hook, and aid in immobilizing enemies in-close. For more Attack Drone-y goodness, the [[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} Vic Viper]] LEV in the same game comes complete with Options, which stick around so long as the LEV remains in its vehicular mode. The Quantity Award, however, goes to the Ardjet, the "cape" of which could break apart into scores of homing [=WISPs=] that slam into enemies for damage.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries:

* Attack drones are the WeaponOfChoice for Dr. Robotnik in ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020''. He eventually gets the nickname "Eggman" from their oval shapes and white paint.

** In ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', small, machine-gun-outfitted drones are used as part of the security in the Kyln.

* In ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2011'' Dr. Poison uses cloaked remote controlled drones to release airborne poisons. Her attempt to attack a G8 summit this way is thwarted by Franchise/WonderWoman.

* ''Project Itoh: Genocidal Organ''. The drop pods deploying the special forces unit also deploy small gatling-equipped helicopter drones as close air cover.

* Creator/ScottWesterfeld's ''Literature/{{Succession}}'' series has attack drones in spades, of both AI-controlled and remotely-piloted varieties, from FTL-comm equipped forward command drones used to cut down on lightspeed lag in interplanetary-distance battles to "flockers", finger-sized kinetic kill missiles with onboard AI control, which network with each other to become a sort of computerized HiveMind before ramming their targets at velocities normally reserved for railgun projectiles.

** Albert from ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' uses multiple [[ArtifactOfDoom Model W]] fragments to defend himself against Grey/Ashe in one cutscene. Later, in the FinalBoss fight against him, he's surrounded by ten Model W-esque "bits" which he can use to [[DeflectorShield generate energy shield]] and [[PowerCopying generate some of the other Mega Men's attack,]] as well as giving him [[PowerGivesYouWings six wings]], a tail and a halo, possibly [[{{Expy}} mimicking]] ''Zero'''s Copy X in appearance.

* Antagonist Cid in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' is protected by four autonomous Rooks during his first boss fight. Several more varieties act as a defense mechanism for the ''[[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Bahamut]]''.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', the Berserker, Tyrant, and [[UniqueEnemy Immortal]] all take a few seconds at the start of battle to summon a Centaurion Blade, a free-flying sword that fights alongside its creator, slashing at the party for multiple hits at a time. It can't be [[DrawAggro provoked]] and gets respawned periodically if destroyed before its creator. Each variant of the Centaurion Blade has different stats and a [[PaletteSwap color scheme]] corresponding to whichever of the three robot-centaurs created it.

* ''VideoGame/{{Gaiares}}'' has the TOZ System. Not only does it help you get new weapons, it also fires out the weapon you have ''and'' it blocks shots!

* Tacticians in ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}} 2'' can use air support drones to attack their enemy.

* Harpuia from ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' series can summon them one by one, which then slowly home in on Zero.

* The Attack Drone in ''VideoGame/SmashTV'' was a destroyable one. Very annoying when you grab it..while in the middle of a horde of enemies. Another separate {{powerup}} would set up a blade barrier around you that would hack up most (but NOT all) enemies, but not fire itself. And evaporated at the end of the room.

* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' and ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} 3'' both have attack drones. ''Starcraft'' has the Protoss Carrier, with Interceptor drones that can be targeted, but never are (either you have large amounts of light attackers that are hard to control that just shoot them done as the Interceptors exit the carrier, or you focus fire on carriers themselves, which then kills the connected Interceptors). ''Warcraft 3'' meanwhile has a large selection of temporary summonable units, generally summoned by heroes and in a few cases by normal caster units. They range from powerful monstrosities like the Dread Lord's Infernal or the Warden's Avatar of Vengeance, to swarming disposable minions like the Necromancer's Skeletons and the Tinker's Clockwerk Goblins, and everything in between. The Crypt Lord can even deploy a group of 5 permanent beetle minions as scouts or extra combat units, and can generate a swarm of untargetable locusts with it's ultimate ability.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* ''Roleplay/MSFHighForum'': Orchid uses these primarily. BeamSpam as well, she's a mecha kitsune with nine tail funnels...

** Besides from the ones seen in the games, there are other types of attack drones mentioned in the ExpandedUniverse, like the MAKO.

* Non-government groups like ISIS have bought and armed commercial quadcopter drones with bomb-dropping devices and suicide mechanisms and used them to bomb enemy positions and ammo dumps. Commercial drones had become so cheap that it is easy for any faction to buy a few drones, arm them with grenades, teach a few pilots and use them to bomb enemy targets, while the operators stay a safe distance away.

** The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baykar_Bayraktar_TB2 Baykar "Bayraktar" TB2]], a Turkish-manufactured [=UCAV=], has been making waves in UsefulNotes/{{Ukraine}} after the nation was invaded by UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}; the [[UsefulNotes/UkrainiansWithDepletedUranium Ukrainian army]] had just received their orders from Baykar at the time the war broke out, and immediately the drones have proven their worth, serving in reconnaissance roles, ground attack and even ''naval attack'' roles (to the point of gaining instand MemeticBadass status and a [[https://youtu.be/XCYuq6bWTAo dedicated song]]). It's believed the drones played a crucial role in bringing down ''Moskva'', the flagship of the [[UsefulNotes/RussiansWithRustingRockets Russian Navy]]'s Black Sea Fleet; while the drones went out to [[WeNeedADistraction distract the flagship]] by circling it, forcing the ship's crew to focus on attempting to aim their AntiAir guns at them, a concealed shore emplacement near Odessa took aim at ''Moskva'' with their Neptune missiles, allowing for a direct hit that [[StuffBlowingUp struck the ship's exposed missile tubes]], completely hobbling it and leaving it doomed to sink while under tow several hours later.

** The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baykar_Bayraktar_TB2 Baykar Bayraktar TB2]], a Turkish-manufactured [=UCAV=], has been making waves in UsefulNotes/{{Ukraine}} after the nation was invaded by Russia; Ukraine had just received their orders from Baykar at the time the war broke out, and immediately the drones have proven their worth, serving in reconnaissance roles, ground attack and even ''naval attack'' roles. It's believed the drones played a crucial role in bringing down ''Moskva'', the flagship of the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet; while the drones went out to [[WeNeedADistraction distract the flagship]] by circling it, forcing the ship's crew to focus on attempting to aim their AA at them, a concealed shore emplacement near Odessa took aim at ''Moskva'' with their Neptune missiles, allowing for a direct hit that [[StuffBlowingUp struck the ship's exposed missile tubes]], completely hobbling it and leaving it doomed to sink while under tow several hours later.