| “ | Packed to the brim with robotic infantry, Dropships conduct rapid deployment of mindless, mechanized despotism. | „ |
| ~ Helldivers 2 PlayStation Store Page |
The Dropship is a large 
Automaton vehicle used to rapidly transport and deploy Automaton infantry when 
Helldiver activity is detected. Dropships are spawned by Bot Drops caused by various factors, usually either by a Trooper or a Commissar emitting a signal flare to call forth reinforcements.
Behavior
Dropships are exclusively found during Bot Drops, typically when either an Automaton Trooper or Commissar fires a signal flare to the skies. Within several seconds, Dropships will arrive at the nearby area to deploy Automaton reinforcements against the target Helldiver. Dropships can carry multiple small and medium-sized Automaton units but are only capable of carrying one elite or large units such as the Tank or Factory Strider.
Dropships are not a threat of their own, however, their body crashing down through the Earth can crush enemies and allies alike.
Lore
Automaton Dropships are made almost entirely of metal and roughly resemble a rectangle, with two engines on each side. In between these engines is an indent with grabbing claws around it, perfectly suited for holding military units. Dropships are able to land on the ground as well as lift off the ground, as evidenced by the Sabotage Air Base Mission.
The Dropship explodes if it is shot down, suggesting that it either has a reactive fuel powering it, such as gasoline, or is powered by electricity, which may also be reactive. Whatever they are powered by, it gives them a power to weight ratio which allows them to lift platoons of Automatons and their heavy vehicles, including the Factory Strider and Vox Engine, both of which easily dwarf them in size and mass.
The Dropship likely has some sort of non-visible-light communication method, such as using radio waves, due to the fact that Detector Towers simply have to look at an enemy unit for Dropships to start flying in. Additionally, Dropships may have enhanced visual or thermal perception as, no matter how far away an Automaton reinforcement flare may have been fired, at least one Dropship is ready to imminently fly in to provide support.
Tactics
- Dropships are extremely heavily armored. Their only weak point is their Engines. Shooting at an engine with the EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank, GR-8 Recoilless Rifle or LAS-99 Quasar Cannon will down the Dropship in a single shot, making them a powerful weapon for countering the swarms of Bot Drops on Eradication or Evacuate High Value Assets missions.
- Dropships can be downed in a single shot anywhere on their model with a FAF-14 Spear, EAT-411 Leveller and the TD-220 Bastion MK XVI's main cannon.
- The MLS-4X Commando, EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit's missile launcher and the E/AT-12 Anti-Tank Emplacement will take two hits to destroy a Dropship when attacking its engines or three when attacking its main body.
- The EXO-49 Emancipator Exosuit requires a total of sixteen shots, making it ill-advised.
- The StA-X3 W.A.S.P. Launcher will take an approximate total of three ammunition packs to destroy it, although this is not recommended for taking down Dropships.
- The B/MD C4 Pack can destroy a Dropship if timed right. However, this usually requires the player to quickly switch to detonation mode once the C4 Pack is close to the Dropship and may require the use of Armor Passives that increases throwing range.
- If timed right, some Orbital or Eagle Stratagems can indirectly destroy a Dropship when they're directly hit by the payload, although players would normally do this to quell the reinforcement spawns.
- The A/AC-8 Autocannon Sentry and A/MLS-4X Rocket Sentry will take eight and seven shots respectively to destroy a single Dropship. However, Sentries are recommended to be deployed only to deal with the reinforcements rather than the Dropship itself despite the Sentries directly targeting them.
- If a Dropship is downed with Automatons on board, they will be crushed, and the delayed explosion should be enough to finish off weaker Automaton. Any Automaton that survives will be pinned under the ship and likely immobilized, but will still be able to fire at the player albeit at a limited range.
- It is possible to shoot the bots as the dropship opens up to deploy them, although this is not recommended due to the risk of being crushed. Explosive weapons like the GL-21 Grenade Launcher can expedite the process as the splash damage can destroy multiple Automaton.
- Downed Dropships can be used as cover, this is especially useful on Eradication missions.
- If possible, calling in a minefield under the dropship will neutralize most if not all of the units its carrying.
- On higher difficulties, Dropships will rarely be called in alone, but rather come in groups of 2-6, deploying troops within a short distance and timing of each other. Neutralizing a whole wave with the right weapons is still possible, but a lot harder. Dropships on higher difficulties may also be carrying more than one Tank or Factory Strider instead of the usual group of infantry. As tanks are carried below the dropship itself, this is pretty easy to spot and the tank can be tagged before it is even dropped off.
- Orbital Barrages are the most effective at stopping Bot Drops, but the Eagle Cluster Bomb will also do a good job.'
- Using minefield such as the MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines or MD-6 Anti-Personnel Minefield can help clear the Dropship reinforcements. However, this is mostly ideal in defense missions such as Eradicate or Evacuate High-Value Assets.
- If no other option is available, the RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher does a decent job of clearing the area under the bot drop when the bots land.
Notes
- The Dropship resembles a UEF C-6 Courier light air transport from Supreme Commander and its expansion.
- In Cities, Dropships will descend upon being summoned as opposed to flying straight to the direction they are summoned.
- While the Automatons are carried on the underside of the Dropship, Cyborg units such as the Radical and Agitator will instead cling to the side.[1]
