The AI Recorder is a functional Automaton block in Space Engineers for autonomous short-distance flight. Steer your drone once manually and use this block as a flight path recorder. The recorder can not only log and follow a recorded selection of waypoints, but it is also able to record and replay key presses and toolbar actions, and remembers to trigger them when replaying the path.
The recorded path is made up of a series of waypoints, which are GPS coordinates.
- For the drone to fly to fixed locations on planets, asteroids, or bases, use global waypoints.
- For the drone to orbit and return to a moving mothership, use relative waypoints.
This AI block is of Type "Task" and it provides waypoints to AI Blocks of type "Move". For other Task blocks, see AI Basic.
Construction[]
If Progression is on, build a basic Assembler and some lighting block 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.
Before placing it, look at the arrows on the sides to rotate it correctly: R faces right, L faces left, F faces front, "rear panel" faces backwards, and the icon faces up.
AI Blocks require 10 kW of power to work. The block is not expensive and can be built in early game, similar to an ore detector.
How to Configure the AI Recorder[]
- Add an AI Move block to the grid, such as AI Flight.
- Add the AI Recorder block to the grid.
- Open the Control Panel for the AI Recorder.
- Choose either a local Reference Beacon or use global coordinates:
- To record waypoints in global absolute space coordinates, click Clear Selection to make sure no Reference Beacon is selected.
- To record waypoints relative to a moving ship, select a Reference Beacon. When the reference beacon moves, or if you select a new beacon, the waypoints will adjust automatically!
- Choose the Record Interval for recording a new waypoint: Set a value from 1.7 sec to 30 sec.
- For a slow, precise, zigzaggy navigation, a lower value is better.
- For an unprecise but faster flight, a large value is better.
- Choose the Minimal Distance for recording a new waypoint: Set a value from 1 metre to 300 metres.
- For precise navigation in narrow caves or hallways, a lower value is better.
- For a fast straight flight with no obstacles, a large value is better.
How to Record a Path[]
After you have configured the AI Recorder, use it to record waypoints by flying the path once yourself. Tip: Start and stop the path in a secure location, such as docked at a connector or landing pad.
- Build a temporary cockpit on the drone.
- Press (G key) and put the AI Recorder's Add Waypoint, Record on/off, and Play on/off and other actions on your toolbar.
- Press Record and start flying.
Waypoints, toolbar actions, key presses, and the drone's orientation are now recorded every time you exceed the Minimal Distance or the Record Interval. - Add important waypoints manually, such as the precise docking position or important corner turns: Fly to the exact spot and activate Add Waypoint manually.
- Press Stop to save the recording.
Review the Path[]
Recorded flight path and waypoints visible on HUD
After recording, the Waypoints list contains the recorded path as a series of GPS coordinates.
- Add an Antenna to the drone and set it to broadcast.
- On the Control Panel for the AI Recorder, switch on Show on HUD and either Show Path on HUD or Show Selected Points.
- On the Info Screen for the AI Recorder, enable Show AI Functions. (!)
This makes the flight path and waypoints visible in mid air.
Reviewing waypoints on your HUD is easier in Creative Mode/Spectator Mode; in Survival Mode, make sure you have a good vantage point.
Some tips:
- If the drone is very slow because it has too many waypoints, click Delete all Waypoints to reset, increase the Distance and Interval settings, and record the path again with fewer waypoints.
- If the drone cuts corners dangerously, it may have too few waypoints. In this case, click Delete all Waypoints to reset, decrease the Distance and Interval settings, and record the path again with more waypoints.
- Since you cannot later manually re-order or insert waypoints afterwards, it's better to record too many waypoints and delete some, than to record too few.
- Add actions to waypoints, such as toggling the AI Flight block's Collision Detection / Precision Mode (see there).
When going through the waypoints list and deleting non-essential waypoints, note that the numbers are not unique identifiers, but just reflect the order.
- In slow narrow turns, keep three waypoints: coming in, central, and coming out.
- In straight path segments, keep one waypoint at the beginning and one at the end.
- Delete unnecessary waypoints in the middle of flightpaths.
- If the orientation of your drone is important for your task, manually make controlled turns over several waypoints.
Selected waypoints are shown in blue on the HUD
Next, slim down your waypoint list and select unnecessary waypoints and delete them.
- To not accidentally include waypoints in a selection, click Clear Selection before multiselecting.
- Click to select a waypoint. Or hold shift to multiselect consecutive waypoints. Or ctrl-click to add individual waypoints to the selection.
- To deselect a selected waypoint, ctrl-click it.
- Then click Delete Selected to clean them off the list.
After you are satisfied with the cleaned-up recording, switch off Show Path on HUD/Show Selected Points and Show AI Functions, and remove the temporary cockpit from the drone.
Fly the path[]
Tip: If the drone is docked at a connector, sit in another cockpit. Press G and put the drone's AI Blocks' AI Behavior on/off and Block on/off actions on your toolbar. Also put the drone's AI Recorder's Play On/Off and other actions on your toolbar.
- Enable AI Behavior on the AI Move block.
- Press Play on the AI Recorder block.
This switches the recorded AI behavior on. If the drone is not at waypoint 0, it will first fly towards waypoint 0, and then follow the waypoints.
Optional Settings:
- Switch Repeat on to fly along the path in a loop, similar to the Autopilot's "circle" flight mode.
- Click Reverse Order to sort the waypoints backwards[1].
Note: The waypoint numbers reflect their order, not identity; when you reverse the order, the list looks the same. The order changes visibly only in the path preview on your HUD.
Troubleshooting[]
If you need more control over how the drone travels through segments of the path, select a waypoint and click Set up Action to toggle the AI Flight block's Collision Avoidance on/off or Precision Mode on/off.
You can retroactively add any actions such as (un)locking Landing Gear/Connectors or thruster or gyroscope overrides. And don't forget you can use Timers to group, loop, or delay actions.
The drone forgets its reference beacon when copied&pasted from a blueprint! In each new drone, select the beacon again.
Recipe[]
 AI Recorder | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
- ↑ In the Automaton Beta, the drone also flies rotated backwards, not sure if this is intended behaviour.