Drone Unit (Movie)
| This article is about a specific type of drone from the 2007 movie franchise. For other types of drones, see drone{{#switch:{{#sub:drone|-1}} | != | .= | ?= | .
}} |
- Drones are a type of non-sparked transformer from the 2007 movie portion of the live-action film series.
Drones are commonly directed by a fulcrum unit among their number: hack it, and you can redirect the drones.<ref>Revolution Part Two</ref>
Drone Types
[edit]
Scrapper is the weakest of the drones, and ironically, the only one with melee weapons. His vehicle mode is a forkilft, and the forks turn into blades, which they use to bash Autobots or Decepticons. The Autobot type is red and has a faceplate and eyes, like all the drones. The Decepticon type is orange with a camera lens. They also have missile launchers built in their arms.
They are also the smallest drones, small enough that, in order to kill them, Optimus must lean all the way down. They are slightly shorter than Jazz, and even he has little trouble defeating them.
Slightly taller than Scrapper and shorter than Dropkick, Swindle units transform into sports cars. They like to hang around Tranquility—in the daytime they stay by themselves and hide in vehicle mode, waiting to ambush Bumblebee. In the middle of the night, they pair up, obviously because Optimus Prime would cut through one of them like sushi. In fact, he cuts through two of them like two pieces of sushi.
Their main weapon is their arm-mounted missile blaster, although their usual strategy is to pick up the nearest object (even their allies) and throw it at you.
Like all drones, the Autobots have faces, the Decepticons have lenses. The Decepticon drones are crimson red, while the Autobots are bright green.
In one alternate reality, Swindles were a regular sight in the Decepticon occupation forces on Earth. At least one sentient Swindle was also present.
The Dropkick drones are fairly powerful—stronger than Swindles, but less powerful than Class Beta Drones. Their usual attacks involve tossing anything nearby at the Autobot (or Decepticon). If there is nothing to throw, they use their wrist-mounted missile laucher. They transform into pickups.
Powerful as they are, the Dropkicks are easily defeated, especially by the likes of Optimus and Megatron. It isn't hard to knock them down, it's getting them to stay down that's hard.
Class Alpha type
[edit]
The Class Alpha Drones are similar to their leader, Dreadwing, in many ways. Their main weapon is shooting fire out of their hands, which can be used to deadly effect. They are definitely some of the most powerful units and can easily defeat even Starscream. The Autobot versions are blue and only appear to harass Starscream while he is in a military base. They transform into large jets.
Dreadwing was originally a Class Alpha drone unit<ref>Once an Alpha class drone unit [...] — Dreadwing character bio from Transformers Movie Sequel: The Reign of Starscream trade paperback.</ref> which developed into a Decepticon warrior. His natural affinity for the drones has resulted in becoming commander of the Decepticon drone army.
A mass of purple Class-Alphas can be seen in an alternate reality.
Class Beta type
[edit]
Class Beta drones are also among the most powerful of all drones. Their only attack is to charge straight at their enemies, ramming their shoulders into their enemy's gut and sending them flying. They have one weakness. After the charge you they will take a moment to look around. This is when they are vunerable.
They transform into SWAT trucks and are usually easy to spot in a crowd. Even Optimus cannot easily defeat them.
During an alternate timeline, these drones were commonly used in Decepticon occupations and massed assaults; Ratchet and Ironhide once disguised themselves as Beta's. There were also snazzy red ones which carried rifles, and a green one co-opted by Stockade.
 |
 |
Longarms are slightly weaker than Payload drones, strong enough to defeat Bumblebee, Barricade, or Ironhide, but unable to stop Optimus or Megatron. In robot mode, they are slightly taller than Bumblebee or Ironhide, but much shorter than Optimus.
Mixmaster units could be even more powerful than Payloads, if that is possible. They transform into cement mixers and cannot be stopped once they start moving. The only way to defeat them is to throw something at them, pick them up, and toss them high into the sky.
"Thundercracker" type
[edit]
Little is known about the Thundercracker-type units beyond the fact that they only were used in an assault on NATO in an alternate reality. They are modelled on Thundercracker, who is not a drone.
Ground-troop type
[edit]
These mystery drones appear similar to Shockwave, though colored interestingly. They wield laser rifles, and serve Megatron as ground warriors. Not much else is known about them...
"Starscream" type
[edit]Though this strange unit may or may not be a drone, it is most likely that he is, as he is seen working under Dreadwing during a raid on France. He is the only one of his kind seen during the attack, but there might be more lurking in the shadows...
He (they?) must not be confused with the actual Starscream.
Toys
[edit]
- Swindle (Deluxe, 2007)
- Dropkick (Deluxe, 2007)
- Payload (Deluxe, 2007)
- Dreadwing (Deluxe, 2007)
- Salvage (Deluxe, 2008)
- Thundercracker (Voyager, 2007)
Notes
[edit]- Many of the drones do some stupid things during their existence. If fighting Bumblebee in the power plant, they tend to throw power generators, which proceeds to blow up everything—including them.
- Some of the drones are references to other people. The Autobot Dropkicks are obviously Salvage, Scrappers kind of get a toy in the Revenge of the Fallen toyline as Dirt Boss, and the Autobot Dreadwings' blue color is used later in the Revenge of the Fallen Wii/PS2 games on the Autobot long-range warriors, which are essentially blue Breakaways.
- Along with blowing everything up and destroying themselves drones also hurt or even kill each other when they throw each other at an enemy.
- Hasbro's online Transformers glossary describes a different type of drone. They are small scouts used by Decepticons for salvage, reconnaissance, and infiltration. They have little firepower. Wheelie is given as an example of this type of drone.
- During the late Decepticon missions, the drones that you fight have Decepticon faces
See also
[edit]References
[edit]<references/>