Question kinda says it all. I can’t find anything in the rules about this. Can a drone actually do anything during starship combat?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Normally no, but if you spend the BP on a training interface module for the drone class feature, the drone can take Minor Crew Actions, with the normal requirements like having no one else acting in the relevant role that round.
Thanks for the answer. That’s nice and clear.
Is that info from the new starship operations manual? I don’t see that in the CRB.
The training interface module is from SOM. The original rule about class features (other than those that grant skill bonuses or rerolls) like drones not affecting starship combat is from the CRB.
If you go back to this forum's history from about 2017, you can find arguments about exactly this same question, and plenty of people feeling that the rule shouldn't prevent drones from filling a role, or that they should be able to fill a role only with the level 20 ability giving them a fully autonomous action economy. As always, you can (and maybe should) use houserules if you're running the game and feel it would work better for your group to allow this, but the existence of the TIM does serve as a pretty thorough nail in the coffin of the idea that drones acting as crew is legal by the standard rules.
that's a perfect explanation. I've read the rule, and with a TIM for AI, the mechanic can use his drone for minor actions easily and spend an RP for it to act as a full crew member for 1 round.
This is pretty much what I was looking for in terms of rules. thanks again!