Specialized Rovers

Learn how to control specialized Rovers and Drones in Surviving Mars. This guide covers manual control, drone autonomy, and essential maintenance tips for your Martian exploration vehicles.

All Rovers in Surviving Mars are manually controlled via commands in their Infopanels. You can issue orders for them to travel to a specific map location or interact with map objects like Anomalies or Surface Deposits.

Drones operate semi-autonomously, queuing tasks within their set Service Area. However, you can take direct control of a Drone when necessary. You can customize your preferred controls and mappings in the Options menu.

Buildings require maintenance over time. When a building's maintenance bar fills, a drone is dispatched to deliver the necessary resources and service it. Failure to do so within a Sol will result in the building ceasing operation until serviced.

Buildings outside of Domes are more susceptible to deterioration due to Martian dust and disasters. Extractors, dust geysers, and rocket activities spread dust, increasing maintenance needs for nearby structures. Drones can also be affected by dust, leading to breakdowns; Recharge Stations clean drones during charging.