Diagnostic Drone
- Diagnostic drones are characters/devices in the Generation 1 continuity family, most prominently in Beast Machines.
A Diagnostic Drone is a type of autonomous drone which generally assists Transformers in performing administrative or technical tasks. They have some measure of artificial intelligence and are small, roughly ovoid devices with one visual sensor, two clawed arms, and two "wings". They can hover or fly. Diagnostic Drones are explictly depicted as sparkless. Several have been shown to have the ability to speak and use advanced experimental technology, but only one is known to have had apparent emotions and a sense of humor; that unit was either a true artificial intelligence, or a very good simulation of one.
Fiction
Beast Machines
Diagnostic Drones were used by Megatron during his tenure as ruler of Cybertron. One drone in particular served as Megatron's right-hand man until it was reprogrammed by the reawakened Tankor. This drone displayed a seemingly full range of emotions, although its ability to make decisions was handicapped in some ways by its programming. Despite this nearly full sentience, it was explicitly stated to have no spark.
Near the end of Megatron's rule, after his spark was de- and repolarized, his spark became stuck in a Diagnostic Drone for a time.
Dreamwave comics continuity
Diagnostic Drones -- or drones that look exactly like them -- were shown assisting Optronix at his job in the archives. The War Within, Part 1
Transformers Animated
Although not an actual Diagnostic Drone, a micro-sized multitasking robot of curiously similar design has appeared in Transformers Animated. These Pocketbots were a failed creation of Isaac Sumdac until commandeered by Megatron in his first attempt to defeat the Autobots after a 50-year catnap. The Pocketbots featured the same single optic and ear-like Antennae of the Diagnostic Drones, but walked on four legs as opposed to hovering. It seems likely that the design of the Pocketbots were based on the Diagnostic Dones as a nod to Beast Machines.
