In chats with friends and followers of the blog about sci-fi Drone Week, folks seem interested in coming up with a definitive list of sci-fi drones in movies and TV shows. While we might get there eventually by reviewing the movies and TV shows in which they appear, let’s beat that to the punch by creating the list FROM OUR MINDS.

Criteria:

In a sci-fi movie or television show

Is not simply a representation of a real-world drone

simply a representation of a real-world drone Is mobile (in the air, on the ground, or in space)

(in the air, on the ground, or in space) Appears (or defined as) technolgoical , not biological

, not biological Does not have a sentient controller/pilot aboard

have a sentient controller/pilot aboard Does not possess strong/general artificial intelligence

possess strong/general artificial intelligence Either automous or remotely-controlled

Here’s what I’ve collected so far. Add more in the comments if you think of them.

Aerial (UAVs)

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) The lightsaber training orb The mouse-bot that Chewbacca scares

Flash Gordon (1980) the bot in Ming’s chamber

Viper Probe Droid seen on Hoth in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Terminator diegesis (1984–) Aerostats Moto-Terminators (Salvation) Aerostats (Salvation) Hydrobots (Salvation)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) Automated defense drones (TNG, The Arsenal of Freedom) Probes (“send in a probe!”)

They Live (1988) but only when you wore the glasses

Back to the Future II (1989) had USA Today drones (unclear if they’re AI, but benefit of the doubt?)

Babylon 5’s (1994) camera drones

Stargate diegesis (1997–) (early versions of the) Replicators Kinos World-testing UAVs S4E2 The Other Side was all about drone warfare

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) had “holocameras” following the podraces

Farscape (1999) has adorable little DRDs

Dark Angel (2000) had Police Hover Drones that the titular character got to surf.

The Incredibles (2004) Syndrome controls a few drones to do his bidding

Stealth (2005) (prior to the lightning strike that gives it strong general intelligence

Sleep Dealer (2008)

Wall•E (2008) SO many, though the level of their AI might disclude some

Skyline (2010) (has both alien drones and real world human drones)

The topography “pups” of Prometheus (2012)

Robocop (2013) (has both aerial and ground)

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–) (Seriously, this show has a thing for them) D.W.A.R.F.s Golden Retrievers U.A.V.s

Star Trek: Insurrection’s (1998) transporter/transponder drones

Battleship (2012) battle bots

Hunger Games (2012) delivery droids

Elysium (2013)

Drone (2013)

Oblivion’s numbered, Tet-tech drones (2014)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s city-sized drones (2014)

Chappie (2015) (aerial-capable, but mostly ground)

Ground

The floor-sweeping robots from The Fifth Element (1995)

The Robot from the Lost in Space movie (1998), which Will could remotely control

The Spyders of Minority Report (2002)

The remotely-controlled robots in Surrogates (2009)

Microbots from Big Hero 6 (2014) (a swarm of drones)

Thanks to the following suggestors for the initial list: Kelley Strang, John Danuil, Devin Hartnett, Derek Eclavea, Lane Bourn, Wally Pfingsten & kedamono.

Almost but not quite

Some suggestions seem like they would be perfect candidates, but for some reason skim the definition.

Bit from Tron (1982) may have been limited to yes or no answers, but was an AI

Machine gun drones from the deleted scenes of Aliens (1986) can only swivel, not move

Dreadnought from Star Trek: Voyager (1995)(VOY, Dreadnought ) it’s AI

Jarvis from the cinematic Iron Man/Avengers diegesis, also strong AI

Keep them coming in the comments. What did we forget?

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