There are 10 Survey Drones to find in Horizon Forbidden West. As with other collectibles, they’re spread across the map, with some locations easier to find and complete than others. Collecting one Survey Drone will give you progress to a bronze trophy that requires you to find five different collectibles, but collecting all of them will give you some nice decoration options for The Base’s Dome.
During the Death’s Door story quest, you’ll unlock the Dome Display in GAIA’s chamber in The Base, granting you the ability to collect these Survey Drones flying around the Forbidden West.
To collect Survey Drones, you must jump over to and hang on them to bring them to the ground; damage from arrows, spikes, and other weapons won’t penetrate their shields. Once you get close to the ground, Aloy will automatically jump off, and the Survey Drone will continue its descent, letting you loot it — which you must do to complete each module.
This Horizon Forbidden West guide shows you where to find all of the Survey Drones in the game and explains how to get them once you arrive at their locations.
All Survey Drone Locations in Horizon Forbidden West
Survey Drone Module 024: No Man’s Land
The No Man’s Land Survey Drone (module 024) is 305 meters south/southeast of Stone’s Echo and 474 meters southwest of the No Man’s Land Relic Ruin. It is in a Thunderjaw site, so be sure to use stealth or bring Purgewater or Acid weapons.
Climb the tallest rock being circled by the Thunderjaw, and you’ll find a wooden platform on the southeastern side at the top. Wait for the drone to stop in front of the platform, then jump over to it to weigh it down. Loot the Survey Drone once it falls all the way to the ground.
Survey Drone Module 047: Plainsong
The Plainsong Survey Drone (module 047) is 203 meters northeast of Plainsong in some ruins at the base of a mountain. There is also a Black Box collectible just to the northeast.
Go into the ruins, and defeat the Scavenger. Then turn left. Use the grapple point on the ruined wall to climb up. Go out to the end of the turret gun, and wait for the Survey Drone to stop in front of it.
Survey Drone Module 143: Dry Yearn
The Dry Yearn Survey Drone (module 143) is 120 meters northeast of The Dry Year Relic Ruins and 420 meters west/northwest of The Base. It’s located in a Shellsnapper site, so be sure to bring Fire and Acid damage weapons with you just in case.
Climb the rock outcropping on the northwestern side of the Shellsnapper site. There is a wooden platform covered by a shelter here and grapple points on the western side to help you up; there is also a lean-to at the base on the southwestern side. Grab the loot and Greenshine at the top, then wait on the platform for the Survey Drone.
Survey Drone Module 287: The Greenswell
The Greenswell Survey Drone (module 287) is 300 meters north of module 143 in the Dry Year; it’s also 745 meters northeast of Scalding Spear. It flies over a Plowhorn site with Plowhorn, Rollerback, and Burrowers. Though, you won’t have to contend with them as you have with the other Survey Drone locations.
Once in the area, go over to the cliff on the western side of the road. Face west, looking at the Survey Drone symbol on the map. You’ll see a rock outcropping with a spire on the right side. If you have the Sunwing mount, you can use it to drop down on top of the spire, which will let you jump over to the Drone when it nears.
If you don’t, you can climb the mountains just to the northeast by the Campfire and Firegleam. There is a wooded platform overlooking the Campfire, which you can use to jump over to the Survey Drone.
Survey Drone Module 739: Sheerside Mountains
The Sheerside Mountains Survey Drone is 350 meters north of The Bulwark, up against the northern edge of the Horizon Forbidden West map. It’s 375 meters northwest of Stone Crest.
Climb the mountainside just east of the Survey Drone symbol on the map, where you see two Tenakth platforms jutting out from the rock. Stop at the first one, and wait for the Survey Drone to appear. Run, jump, and activate your glider to reach it. This is another location where the Sunwing could come in handy.
Survey Drone Module 678: The Graypeak
The Graypeak Survey Drone is roughly 525 meters northwest of The Memorial Grove, up on the mountain that separates it from the Stand of the Sentinels and the western coast. The Survey Drone is flying above a Slaughterspine site, so bring some Frost and Purgewater weapons just in case. There is also a Stormbird in the area.
Facing southwest toward the Slaughterspine site from the top of the mountain, head toward the machine site. Just before the cliff drops off into the area with the machines below, look right (west/southwest). You’ll see a wooden platform on the edge of the nearby cliff. There are two Generous Supply Caches on it.
The Survey Drone will eventually fly just below the wooden platform, making this a trickier jump than the others.
Survey Drone Module 398: Stand of the Sentinels
This Survey Drone is flying around 300 meters southwest of the Stand of the Sentinels Tallneck. It’s about 600 meters south of The Greenhouse.
On the eastern side of the area (east of the Survey Drone symbol on the map), you’ll find a fallen tree that will allow you to access the wooden platforms on the trees. Jump from the tree to the first platform, then use the Pullcaster to grapple to the next one, going counter-clockwise. Use your glider to reach the next. Lower the ladder, and climb up the tree to the next platform.
Cross the two yellow ropes (jump out to the second one; I fell three times trying to just walk out on it). Climb up another tree, then out on a pylon pointing out to another platform. Glide over, drop the ladder, and climb up to the top platform. Wait for the Survey Drone, then run, jump, and activate your glider to grab it.
Survey Drone Module 863: Isle of Spires
Though this Survey Drone shares a name with the Ise of Spires Vista Point, it’s clear on the other side of Landfall. It is 115 meters west of Legacy’s Landfall.
Outside of using the Sunwing to get to the top of the building, the best way to approach this Survey Drone is from Legacy’s Landfall. Leave the encampment by the primary road, and cross the bridge. On the other side, turn left, cross another bridge, and turn right. You’ll see some cliffs with yellow handholds and a grappling point. Use the grapple point, and climb left to another grapple point. Continue left, then jump over the building itself.
Go up the vertical yellow bar, the left on the first horizontal bar (the second will break and you could fall). Then climb the second vertical bar to the top before reaching right to make a long jump to another horizontal bar.
Once on the roof, jump on the first industrial AC unit on the left (the one with yellow handholds). Then look toward the building and slightly left; pull down the beam on the corner of the building. Jump over, then climb the yellow pipe.
Grab the valuable loot here, then go to the edge of the building. Turn right, the turn right again. Climb up one more story and left. Walk out on the yellow pipe here, and wait for the Survey Drone to arrive.
Survey Drone Module 549: Thornmarsh
The Thornmarsh Survey Drone is roughly 175 meters east/northeast of Thornmarsh. It’s near a Campfire and a rock sign at crossroads pointing to Thornmarsh and Salt Bite.
Just west of the Campfire, you’ll find a pillar near a large Tenakth effigy of a bird on a tree. Use the Pullcaster to grapple up the pole, then to grapple again over to the tree with the bird effigy. Look southeast, and you’ll see another large tree with another grapple point.
From this spot on the tree, you’ll see another perch point/grapple right in front of you on the same tree. Jump over, and wait for the Survey Drone to stop in front of you. Beware: it’s easy to misjudge this last jump and fall to your death. Press forward on the control stick, and make sure Aloy reaches out before jumping.
Survey Drone Module 367: The Stillsands
The Stillsands Survey Drone is about 70 meters southeast of Hidden Ember or 781 meters southwest of The Stillsands Tallneck.
Head to the area, and look for the ruins that look somewhat like a castle; there’s a large round tower jutting up from them, and there are embattlements across the top walls. Coming from the western side, you’ll see part of the wall beneath the tower has collapsed. Use the grapple point to the right of that rubble to climb up to the top of the wall.
Now climb up the center part of the tower. At the top, go to the eastern side (facing the tower nearby and the Genie lamp further in the distance). Wait for the Survey Drone to fly over and stop in this area to jump on it.
Return the Drone Survey Modules to the Dome Display
Now that you have all of the Drone modules, return to the Dome Display in GAIA’s chamber at The Base. Technically, you can come here whenever you wish after you’ve collected your first one; the individual Survey Drone quests won’t complete until you visit this gadget.
Select one of the modules, and it will display the environment in which the drone was surveying as a background on the dome. Outside of getting one Survey Drone for a trophy … that’s about all you get. But you have the satisfaction of finding all of their locations! For more on Horizon Forbidden West, head over to our HFW guides hub.
