Survey Drones - Horizon Forbidden West Guide - IGN (2024)

Survey Drones are little flying robot Collectibles that can be found scanning each biome of the Forbidden West, which Aloy can collect by jumping onto them to recover their data. She can then use this data to change the cosmetics of a room in the game. This page of IGN's Horizon Forbidden West guide details how to find the Survey Drone locations, how to catch every Survey Drone, and what they're used for.

Use the links below to jump to a specific section of the page:

• Survey Drones Explained
  • How to Catch Survey Drones
  • How to Use Survey Drones
• Every Survey Drone Location
  • Survey Drone: No Man's Land
  • Survey Drone: Plainsong
  • Survey Done: Dry Yearn
  • Survey Drone: Greenswell
  • Survey Drone: The Stillsands
  • Survey Drone: Thornmarsh
  • Survey Drone: The Graypeak
  • Survey Drone: The Stand of the Sentinels
  • Survey Drone: Sheerside Mountains
  • Survey Drone: Isle of Spires

Survey Drones Explained

How to Catch Survey Drones

Survey Drones are small drones that fly around in each of the biomes in the game.To find Survey Drones, look for large blue spheres of light in the sky that look like they’re pulsing, and shafts of blue light. In order to collect their valuable data, Aloy must first capture them by bringing them down to the ground.

Rather than straight-up destroying them, you will need to use the surrounding environment if you’re planning to capture one, as the only way to retrieve Survey Drones is by jumping onto them as they fly about the area. After jumping onto the drone, Aloy’s weight will slowly pull it towards the ground, where it’ll soon crash and she’ll be able to retrieve its module.

Finally, with one exception, all Survey Drones can be caught without the need for Gear Tools like the Igniter or Vine Cutter, although all require you to have progressed to certain points in the main storyline to get to their locations.

How to Use Survey Drones

Without spoiling too much, Survey Drones are a cosmetic-based collectible that alter the appearance of a room that you’ll visit during the main questline. Each Survey Drone you collect will offer a unique theme based on the biome that the Survey Drone was keeping an eye on.

For full spoilers, read the Spoiler box below.

Below is a list of every Survey Drone in the game, alongside videos showing how to collect each one. You can also access our full walkthrough pages here.

Survey Drone: No Man's Land

• Location: No Man's Land - Thunderjaw Site

The first listed Survey Drone can be found at the Thunderjaw Site in No Man's Land, directly East of the Jagged Deep Rebel Outpost.

• Survey Drone: No Man's Land Location

Survey Drone: Plainsong

• Location: Plainsong

The Plainsong Survey Drone is located at an Old Ones barricade North-East of the Plainsong settlement itself, overlooking a Blighted area with Grazers and Scroungers.

• Survey Drone: Plainsong Location

Survey Done: Dry Yearn

• Location: The Shining Wastes - Dry Yearn

The Dry Yearn Survey Drone is located at the Northern end of the Dry Yearn, the canyon that runs along the Eastern side of The Shining Wastes. It'll be right on top of a Shellsnapper Site.

• Survey Drone: Dry Yearn Location

Survey Drone: Greenswell

• Location: Salt Bite - The Greenswell

This Survey Drone is located in The Greenswell, which are the Eastern plains in Salt Bite. It'll be in the North-Eastern Corner, near a Plowhorn Site and right above a Campfire.

• Survey Drone: Greenswell

Survey Drone: The Stillsands

• Location: The Stillsands

The Stillsands Survey Drone is hovering around a building ruin in the Southern end of Las Vegas, directly South of the Tower of Tears / Hidden Ember.

• Survey Drone: The Stillsands Location

Survey Drone: Thornmarsh

• Location: The Raintrace - Thornmarsh

The Thornmarsh Survey Drone is located along the Northern border of The Raintrace, North-East of the Thornmarsh settlement and North of a Fireclaw Site.

• Survey Drone: Thornmarsh Location

Survey Drone: The Graypeak

• Location: Sheerside Mountains - The Graypeak

The Graypeak Survey Drone is found hovering above a Slaughterspine Site located South-South-West of the Sky's Sentry settlement, and East of Cliffwatch.

• Survey Drone: The Graypeak Location

Survey Drone: The Stand of the Sentinels

• Location: The Stand of the Sentinels

This Survey Drone is in the Southern part of The Stand of the Sentinels, almost directly between Tide's Reach to the West and a Plowhorn Site to the East.

• Survey Drone: The Stand of the Sentinels Location

Survey Drone: Sheerside Mountains

• Location: Sheerside Mountains

The Sheerside Mountains Survey Drone is found in the Northern cliffs of the region, North of The Bulwark and a Frostclaw Site.

• Survey Drone: Sheerside Mountains Location

Survey Drone: Isle of Spires

• Location: Isle of Spires

The Isle of Spires Survey Drone is found on the Eastern side of the Isle of Spires, up the building a smidge West of the Legacy's Landfall settlement.

• Survey Drone: Isle of Spires Location