Diagnostic Drone
From Transformers Wiki
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 explicitly 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.
Contents |
Fiction
Beast Wars cartoon continuity
Theft of the Golden Disk
A black and white Diagnostic Drone accompanied Cryotek. Theft of the Golden Disk
Beast Machines cartoon
- Voice actor: Christopher Gaze (Season 1), Paul Dobson (Season 2) (English), Isshin Chiba (Japanese), Tong Chunguang (Chinese), Mino Caprio (Italian, first drone), Vladimiro Conti (Italian, first drone, The Weak Component), Hans Hohlbein (German), Frédéric Meaux (French, first drone), Patrick Donnay (French, second drone)
Diagnostic Drones were used by Megatron during his tenure as ruler of Cybertron.
One drone in particular served as Megatron's right-hand man. Fires of the Past 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.
After one of Megatron's many attempts to purge his systems from the organic component, the drone informed Megatron that the procedure had been successful. It was proved wrong when Megatron became frustrated with his drones’ inability to take out the Maximals during their latest confrontation. Megatron scorched the Diagnostic Drone out of anger, though this left it relatively unharmed. When Megatron asked why his drones were having so much trouble with the small group of Maximals despite their technological superiority, the Diagnostic Drone suggested that free-will might be a factor. Megatron admitted that the drone might have a point, and created the Vehicon generals Tankor, Thrust and Jetstorm. Fires of the Past
The Diagnostic Drone continue to aid Megatron in his attempts to purge his body from its organic components, despite regularly warning the Vehicon leader that the procedures were still in their experimental stages. In the wake of a power-feedback, Megatron was rendered weak and unable to defend himself. The drone informed him that all planetary systems were down, and his forces would be unable to defend him until power was restored in half a solar-cycle. After the time period had passed, the drone informed Megatron that his strength was returning. Sure enough, all systems came back online immediately after. The Diagnostic Drone was surprised to see Megatron keep his end of a bargain he made with Rattrap, and allow the Maximals walk away from his citadel. Megatron explained that they could always liberate the Maximals’ sparks another day. The Weak Component
On yet another attempt at removing Megatron's organic half, the Diagnostic Drone reminded Megatron that the process of transplanting his spark into a purely technological body would be infinitely simpler. Megatron disregarded the idea, as it would mean leaving his spark vulnerable, if only for an instant. The drone's next suggestion was to capture Nightscream, who he believe generated a beast mode on an entirely inorganic planet. By studying whatever process spontaneously generated an organic half within Nightscream, the drone was confident it could rid Megatron of his own organic component. Megatron approved of this plan, and sent his three Vehicon generals to accompany the Diagnostic Drone on its hunt for the Maximal.
The Diagnostic Drone was able to lock onto Nightscream using his echo-location frequency. Tankor managed to acquire the bat, and the Vehicons began to make their way back to home base. En route, the Diagnostic Drone noted that Nightscream wasn't being repaired by their portable reparation chamber, but was healing due to properties inherent in his technogranic body. Intrigued, he demanded that Nightscream reveal to him the secret behind his healing process. In response, Nightscream blasted the drone, leaving it to be recovered by Tankor.
Away from prying eyes, Tankor reprogrammed the Diagnostic Drone to be loyal to him instead of Megatron. Tankor ordered the Drone to maintain a charade of loyalty toward Megatron, and to track down the Oracle's energy signature. The Drone was also instructed to sabotage all further attempts Megatron made to purging his body of its beast mode. Survivor
Later, the drone accompanied Tankor to the Oracle's location. Tankor tasked the drone to enter the Oracle, and retrieve the Key to Vector Sigma. The Diagnostic Drone succeeded and downloaded the key's code to Tankor.
After “Tankor” paid the Maximals a visit, and “overloaded” due to the Key's power, the Diagnostic Drone accompanied a group of Tank Drones to retrieve the general's “body.” In truth, the Tankor the Maximals had witnessed “dying” was a double, part of an elaborate ruse Tankor had set up to fool both Megatron and Optimus. The Key
Tankor fed words to the drone from a distance to get Megatron to go along with the next phase of his plan. The Diagnostic Drone informed Megatron that Tankor had “somehow” stumbled upon the key to Vector Sigma, and showed Megatron doctored footage showing Tankor's demise. The drone then encouraged Megatron to download the code to the Key to Vector Sigma to his Vehicon drones, and use its power on a planetary level. The drone almost flubbed the whole charade by continuing to parrot Tankor's words even as the Vehicon general rambled that Megatron would go mad and die due to the key's influence on his beast mode. Despite the drone quickly covering up his mistake, Megatron began to grow suspicious of the drone's behaviour.
The Diagnostic Drone next accompanied Thrust and Jetstorm on their search for a Maximal to test the key's power on, as per Megatron's instructions. Since Tankor's grand scheme necessitated that the Maximals be left alone for the time being, the drone kept the two Vehicon generals busy by insisting that his superior scanners detected Maximal signatures where there were none. Eventually, Blackarachnia came to them anyways. The Diagnostic Drone was knocked unconscious when Blackarachnia lashed out against Jetstorm. Rather than remain on-site, it returned to Megatron's inner sanctum to inform him that the Key's tests were not going smoothly. After the “organics” displayed the extent of their power, the Diagnostic Drone convinced Megatron to only download the Key's code to his Tank Drones, lest one of his two remaining generals grew ambitious and turned on him. Megatron agreed. The Catalyst
The Diagnostic Drone returned to Tankor's side to inform him that his plan was going smoothly. Tank Drones were being loaded with the Key program, and all signs pointed towards Megatron intending to go through with unleashing the Key's power soon. Tankor and the drone then found out that Megatron had taken the precaution to disconnect the Tank Drones from Tankor's control, despite the Vehicon general's apparent demise. The Diagnostic Drone was tasked with generating a false vision through the Oracle, and goad Optimus Primal into provoking Megatron to use the Key on a planetary scale as soon a possible. It led Optimus to the Plasma Energy Chamber, and then informed Megatron that the Maximals had found the device. But Megatron had puzzled out that the Diagnostic Drone was no longer loyal to him by this point. After it attempted one too many times to goad him into unleashing his doomsday weapon, Megatron shut the drone down. End of the Line
Near the end of Megatron's rule, after his spark was de- and repolarized, his spark became stuck in a Diagnostic Drone. Spark of Darkness Despite being trapped in this puny form, Megatron still proved himself to be a daunting opponent. The Downward Spiral Nonetheless, the frame he was confined within could not suit his needs in his final confrontation against the Maximals. He put a new Diagnostic Drone in charge of constructing him a new body, using the specs of one of Optimus Primal's old bodies. Once the body was constructed, the Diagnostic Drone transferred Megatron's spark into it. When Legends Fall
The Maximals were soon felled by the Vehicon horde, and Diagnostic Drones brought the captured sparks of Optimus's troops to the spark containment chamber within the Grand Mal. They readied to open the containment chamber and allow Megatron access to the lifeforce of the Cybertronians within, but a stray shot destroyed the control panel. The drones were tasked at repairing the damage panel while Megatron amused himself at chasing Optimus around the city. When their work was finally complete, the drones opened the chamber, allowing Megatron to begin his grand ascension. Their fates after Cybertron's reformatting are unknown. Seeds of the Future
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
Diagnostic Drones were put to use at the Vaults storing data cassettes. The War Within #1
A similar drone later helped Soundwave carry out Megatron's plan to expose the core of Cybertron itself. The Age of Wrath Pt.2
TransTech
The case of D. Drone V Tankor was mentioned during an argument regarding the GoBots, and claims from Crystal Widow and General Demolishor. It is implied to relate to a manner of property dispute similar to what happened in Beast Machines. Evidently, Tankor's misuse of Diagnostic Drone landed him in court. Withered Hope
Shattered Glass
A Diagnostic Drone is seen along with Scrapper and Hook, who are giving Cliffjumper medical treatment. This one has the addition of an adorable nurse's cap. Shattered Glass
Animated cartoon continuity
On time off from Project Powermaster, Perceptor reprogrammed a Diagnostic Drone into Tutorbot 2.0. The AllSpark Almanac II
2005 IDW continuity
A Diagnostic Drone assisted Ratchet with repairs aboard the Lost Light. Hangers On
Later, another medical Drone reacted to Red Alert's mention of Overlord's name, and apparently summoned someone to retrieve the evidence Alert had left with the comatose Rung. Rules of Disengagement
One Drone was crushed by a Legislator in an attack on the medibay. Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus
When he left the Lost Light aboard the O Fortuna, First Aid's leaving present from Rewind and Tailgate contained a photograph of himself, Ratchet, Ambulon and the Diagnostic Drone. The One Where They Go to Earth
The Diagnostic Drone and Velocity were shown observing Ambulon through a time window after his passing. No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases
2019 IDW continuity
Hoist used the Diagnostic Drones to force Gutcruncher and his squad to leave the treatment facility. Escape Part One
Kre-O online manga
Airachnid sweeped up a Diagnostic Drone that was littering the floor of the Decepticon base. The Beautiful Flower Has Thorns? Temptation of the Female Soldier, Airachnid!
Beast Wars: Uprising
After the Vehicon Apocalypse had ended, Galvatron put the finishing touches on his own Vehicon generals with the aid of a Diagnostic Drone. The Inexorable March
Notes
- The Beast Wars: Uprising Diagnostic Drone is a "virtual redeco" of the beast partner of Titans Return Crashbash.
- The "Sky Spy" in Lost Light #1 is, oddly, a recolor of the Diagnostic Drone model.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Flying Computer (フライングコンピューター Furaingu Konpyūtā), Fly (フライ Furai)
- Mandarin: Yīliáo Fēng (医疗蜂, "Medical Bee")