The AI Flight block is a functional Automaton block in Space Engineers. The block provides automatic flight control to drone ships in both space and atmosphere. The AI Flight block enables complex flight behaviors as well as detailed control of how your grid will move.
This AI Block is of type "Move".
Construction[]
If Progression is on, build a Basic Assembler and then a light, such as interior light, first to unlock this block.
The block is 1x1x1 blocks in size and it exists for small and large grid.
It can attach to other blocks on all sides and uses 10 kW. Look at the arrows on the side to place it forward facing. Optimally align it with the Connector/Merge Block/Magnetic Plate/etc. because all navigation will be relative to the AI Flight block.
The block is not expensive and can be built in early game, similar to an ore detector.
Requirements[]
The AI Flight block depends on the presence of other AI Blocks to supply it with waypoints! First, build an AI task block (AI Basic or AI Recorder) or an AI Combat block (AI Defensive or AI Offensive), and configure it to provide waypoints to the AI Flight block.
The rotation of the placed AI blocks is relevant for determining the forward direction and alignment to planetary gravity
To fly, the AI Flight-controlled drone must have thrusters in all six directions, using thrusters that are suitable for its target environment (atmospheric or space flight). Equip the drone with at least one gyroscope.
Usage[]
With the AI behavior switched off, configure the following settings:
- Collision Avoidance: To prevent the drone from totalling itself against terrain or grids on long autonomous trips, enable Collision Avoidance. If the drone refuses to fly in tight quarters or to dock to a connector, or if this is a PBW, disable this option. For details, see Collision Avoidance
- Precision Mode: To make the drone fly carefully and decelerate and turn exactly on each GPS waypoint, enable Precision Mode. To fly more carelessly but faster, disable this setting. For Details, see Precision Mode
- Speed Limit: To set the maximum speed, input a value between 0-100 m/s. Default is 10 m/s. For missiles/PBWs use higher values, and for utility drones, stick with the low value.
- Align to P.Gravity: To make the drone fly with its AI Move block aligned horizontally to planetary gravity, enable this option.
- On planets, if your strongest thrusters are your ventral thrusters, enable it.
- On planets, if you have strong thrust in all directions and want to precisely record the drone's rotation, disable it.
- For a space drone, disable it.
- Min. Altitude: Set how high the drone should fly in planetary gravity. Choose a value between 0 and 500 metres. To allow landing on the ground set it to 0m. To simulate hovercraft behaviour, set it to 2m, and so on. Not used in space.
- Max. Pitch Angle: Set at which angle the drone is allowed to pitch up or down when approaching a waypoint in planetary gravity. This is relevant to prevent a fully loaded cargo drone to shift too much weight onto weaker aft or fore thrusters. Not used in space.
- Max. Roll Angle: Set at which angle the drone is allowed to roll left or right when approaching a waypoint in planetary gravity. This is relevant to prevent a fully loaded cargo drone to shift too much weight onto weaker lateral thrusters. Not used in space.
Switch on AI Behavior to make this the active block of its type and start the autopilot. To steer the drone manually using a RC block, switch AI Behavior off.
Troubleshooting[]
If the drone cannot reach its waypoints, there are several things you ought to check:
- Use a Remote Control set up and make a manual test whether the drone is flight-worthy at all.
- Does it have thrust in all 6 directions?
- For combat drones, ensure that they are able to turn, accelerate, and decelerate fast.
- For cargo drones, verify their flight and braking ability under full load.
- For planetary flight, add extra ventral thrusters to counteract gravity, and lower the roll and pitch angles.
- If the drone overshoots the waypoints, first try decreasing the speed limit to 10 m/s.
- If it flies stop-and-go in open space, then switch Precision Mode off.
- If it approaches waypoints too sloppily, then switch Precision Mode on.
- If it hesitates in front of hangar doors, connectors, asteroid caves, etc., then switch Collision Avoidance off.
- If it crashes into bases and asteroids, then switch Collision Avoidance on.
If you cannot find one set of suitable settings, you can be flexible:
- When used together with an AI Recorder block, toggle settings of the AI Flight (such as Collision Avoidance) at waypoints as part of the recording.
- Build two AI Flight blocks with different settings, and using an Event Controller to switch them on and off. One configuration could be optimised for fast open-space flight and the other for a slow careful docking approach.
If your drone uses thrusters or gyroscopes on override, the AI Flight block switches these off and takes control when it activates.
Recipe[]
 AI Flight | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component | Large Ship/Station Required | Large Ship/Station Optional | Small Ship Required | Small Ship Optional |
 Interior Plate | 20 | — | 2 | — |
 Computer | 20 | — | 10 | — |
 Motor | 4 | — | 2 | — |
 Detector Components | 20 | — | 4 | — |
 Construction Comp. | 30 | — | 5 | — |
 Steel Plate | — | 20 | — | 2 |
