Quantum Drones are one of the most useful technologies you can unlock in Slime Rancher 2, giving ranchers a way to automate daily chores and resource collection. Instead of spending hours feeding slimes and hauling plorts, these drones handle the grind while you’re off exploring Rainbow Island. Here’s a full guide on how to unlock them, what materials you’ll need, and the best ways to use them.
How to Unlock Quantum Drones
You won’t get Quantum Drones right away—unlocking them requires a bit of exploration and patience. The first step is to find a Ghostly Drone, a translucent bot that drifts around specific locations:
- A guaranteed spawn can be found in the first Conservatory expansions (Archway, Den, and Gulley).
- Additional Ghostly Drones sometimes appear in places like the Rainbow Fields, the Grey Labyrinth, and other regions.
When you interact with a Ghostly Drone, it rewards you with a Drone Station Module. This module is the essential blueprint for crafting a Quantum Drone Station back at your Fabricator.
How to Craft a Quantum Drone Station
Once you’ve secured the module, you’ll need to gather resources before your first drone takes flight. The crafting recipe requires:
- 100 Flutter Plorts (from Flutter Slimes in Starlight Strand)
- 15 Lava Dust (collected from lava spouts in Ember Valley)
- 15 Wild Honey (from striped beehives in Starlight Strand)
- 3 Strange Diamonds (a rare cave resource)
- 1 Drone Station Module (from Ghostly Drones)
- 5,000 Newbucks for fabrication
After gathering everything, head to the Fabricator at your base to build the Quantum Drone Station. Once crafted, you can place it anywhere on the island using Build Mode.
How to Use Quantum Drones
Quantum Drones can operate in two different modes depending on where you place them:
Rancher Mode (Inside the Conservatory)
When placed on your ranch, Quantum Drones can handle routine chores like:
- Collecting plorts from corrals and depositing them into silos, the Refinery, or directly to the Market.
- Gathering food from gardens and auto-feeding your slimes to keep them happy.
- Managing supply flow so you can focus on expansion rather than micromanagement.
Explorer Mode (Out in the World)
When placed outside the Conservatory, drones switch to Explorer Mode. In this state, they:
- Collect crafting resources such as Wild Honey, Strange Diamonds, and other materials.
- Store gathered items in the Quantum Cloud, a massive virtual inventory accessible from any station.
- Let you withdraw items, send them to the Market, or move them straight into the Refinery.
Explorer Mode is particularly helpful if you’re farming rare materials without wanting to run back and forth.
Powering Quantum Drones
Quantum Drones run on a plort-powered battery system:
- Every drone has a charge meter (0–100%) with the ability to overcharge up to 999% for faster operation.
- Different plorts provide different recharge percentages—rarer plorts like Gold Plorts offer higher charge values.
- Once a drone runs low, fire plorts into the receptacle at the station to restore its energy.
It’s worth keeping some valuable plorts on hand, since high-charge efficiency makes a noticeable difference in drone speed.
How Quantum Drones Change Gameplay
Quantum Drones turn your ranch into a semi-automated system:
- Efficiency boost: Instead of wasting time on repetitive chores, you can explore new areas while drones keep the ranch stable.
- Resource farming: Rare materials like Strange Diamonds and Moondew Nectar become much easier to stockpile.
- Scalability: As you expand your Conservatory, drones ensure you don’t get overwhelmed by larger slime populations.
They’re not a complete replacement for hands-on ranching, but they give you freedom to focus on the parts of Slime Rancher 2 you enjoy most—whether that’s exploring, experimenting, or chasing down new slime types.
See also: How to Get Primordy Oil in Slime Rancher 2: Farming, Uses, and Locations
Unlocking Quantum Drones takes time, resources, and a little hunting for Ghostly Drones, but the payoff is huge. With their ability to automate feeding, plort collection, and resource gathering, these drones are the key to building a self-sustaining slime empire. Place them smartly, keep them charged, and you’ll spend far less time grinding and far more time discovering everything Rainbow Island has to offer. Play Now!
