UAV Terminal And Spotter System

UAV Terminal and Spotter System (live orbit drone)

Source-verified 2026-06-21 against master 0139a346. Paths relative to Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/ unless noted. Arma 2 OA 1.64.

The live UAV is a player-launched reconnaissance drone, distinct from the Takistan-airfield FPV-drone branch feature. The Tactical Center spends supply on a UAV upgrade, then a player spawns the drone at the command-center factory for a flat cash fee, takes camera control through the vanilla BIS_UAV terminal (with a separate OA-interface variant), and the drone auto-flies a circular orbit while a server-side spotter loop reveals fuzzed enemy positions onto the map. The whole flow lives in Client/Module/UAV/ plus a server cleanup monitor.

This page documents the build/gate, the orbit auto-route planner, the camera/minimap/aperture terminal (vanilla vs OA), and the spotter intel reveal pipeline. It is NOT the recon-uav / Takistan FPV drone — see Takistan Airfield FPV Drone Design.

Build, gate, and cost

The UAV is reached from the Tactical Center menu. The list entry "UAV" is enabled only when the side has the UAV upgrade and the player can pay.

Element	Value	Citation
Tactical menu entry id	"UAV" (index 6 of the special list)	Client/GUI/GUI_Menu_Tactical.sqf:59
Enable gate	_funds >= _currentFee && WFBE_UP_UAV level > 0 && !(alive playerUAV)	Client/GUI/GUI_Menu_Tactical.sqf:273-275
Displayed fee (menu)	12500 (fee list index 6)	Client/GUI/GUI_Menu_Tactical.sqf:60
Selecting UAV	closeDialog 0; ExecVM "Client\Module\UAV\uav.sqf"	Client/GUI/GUI_Menu_Tactical.sqf:324-327
UAV_Remote_Control (re-enter live UAV)	same ExecVM uav.sqf	Client/GUI/GUI_Menu_Tactical.sqf:335-337
UAV_Destroy	sets full damage on playerUAV + crew, nulls it	Client/GUI/GUI_Menu_Tactical.sqf:328-334
Upgrade constant	WFBE_UP_UAV = 5	Common/Init/Init_CommonConstants.sqf:42

The fee shown in the menu (12500) is the gate; the actual debit happens inside the spawn script:

Spawn step	Detail	Citation
Re-entry shortcut	if playerUAV already alive, just re-open the interface and exit	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:4-13
Faction gate	exits if WFBE_%1UAV (by sideJoinedText) is nil or ""	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:15-16
Spawn anchor	nearest command-center factory (WFBE_%1COMMANDCENTERTYPE) to the player	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:18-25
Create drone	createVehicle [WFBE_%1UAV, getPos factory, [], 0, "FLY"] → playerUAV	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:27-28
Crew	driver always; gunner only for west (OPFOR UAV has no gunner slot)	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:33-46
Cash debit	-12500 Call ChangePlayerFunds	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:50
Server hand-off	["RequestSpecial", ["uav",sideJoined,_uav,clientTeam]] Call WFBE_CO_FNC_SendToServer	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:52
Targeting	driver disableAI ["TARGET","AUTOTARGET"] so it just orbits	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:7, 37-38

The UAV research upgrade itself is a single level, gated behind Air Superiority:

Upgrade attribute	Value	Citation
Availability	enabled only if WFBE_%1UAV is defined for the side	Common/Config/Core_Upgrades/Upgrades_CO_US.sqf:11
Cost	[[2000,0]] (2000 supply, single level)	Common/Config/Core_Upgrades/Upgrades_CO_US.sqf:38
Prerequisite	[[WFBE_UP_AIR,2]] (Air upgrade level 2)	Common/Config/Core_Upgrades/Upgrades_CO_US.sqf:98
Research time	[60] seconds	Common/Config/Core_Upgrades/Upgrades_CO_US.sqf:130

Per-faction UAV classnames

Side var	Classname	Citation
WFBE_%1UAV (US)	MQ9PredatorB_US_EP1	Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_US.sqf:20
WFBE_%1UAV (RU)	Pchela1T	Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_RU.sqf:18

Orbit auto-route planner

After spawn, uav.sqf runs a self-renewing waypoint loop that keeps the drone circling. Each pass plants four MOVE waypoints on a 1000m-radius ring around the last waypoint, and a background spawn keeps appending the next ring point as the drone advances — so the patrol never runs out of route.

Planner element	Value	Citation
Orbit radius	_radius = 1000	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:58
Waypoints per ring	_wpcount = 4, step 360/4 = 90°	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:59-60
Ring point math	[_lastWPpos, 1000, _dir+_add] call bis_fnc_relPos	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:88, 110
Waypoint type	"MOVE", blank description (' ')	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:90-91, 112-113
Completion radius	1000/_wpcount = 250m	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:92, 114
Refresh trigger	waituntil on waypoint-description / count change or drone death	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:76, 120
Background appender	"UAV Route planning" script keeps adding the next ring point	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:95-117
Previous-pass cleanup	terminate _spawn before re-planning	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:74, 77

Manual override: clicking the map (left button) deletes all current waypoints and drops a single MOVE waypoint at the clicked world position, so the operator can redirect the orbit center — see the terminal section below (Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:254-267; OA variant uav_interface_oa.sqf:105-118).

Group-leak cleanup (SP4)

The single driver is split into his own group at spawn time ([driver _uav] join grpnull) so the crew survivors don't accumulate toward the engine's group cap. When the drone dies, both the misc crew group and the driver's split group are emptied and deleted.

Cleanup step	Detail	Citation
Driver split	if (count units _uav > 1) then {[driver _uav] join grpnull}	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:56
On-death sweep	delete units of _group + driver group, then deleteGroup both	Client/Module/UAV/uav.sqf:124-130

Terminal interface (vanilla BIS_UAV)

Entering the UAV switches the player into the gunner's camera and brings up the RscUnitInfoUAV HUD with a centered minimap. The interface seeds default aperture/height/speed, then installs key/mouse handlers for altitude, speed, brightness, NVG-inversion, and map-click retasking. It runs only when WF_A2_Vanilla is true.

Terminal element	Detail	Citation
Camera takeover	_uav switchcamera "internal"; player remoteControl gunner _uav	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:13-14
Lock + weapon select	drone locked while controlled; select weapon 0	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:15-17
Globals	BIS_UAV_PLANE = _uav, BIS_UAV_TIME = 0	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:20-21
Post-process	ColorCorrections (1999), dynamicBlur 0.5 (505), filmGrain (2005)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:30-41
HUD resource	1124 cutrsc ["RscUnitInfoUAV","plain"]	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:44
Minimap center	ctrl 112410 mapcenteroncamera true	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:49
Default aperture	24 daytime (5–19h) else 0.07	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:52-58
Default height	rounded to nearest 50, floor 100m, written to ctrl 112413	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:60-70
Default speed	rounded to nearest 50, written to ctrl 112412	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:72-82
Live speed readout	ctrl 112411 updated each tick round speed _uav	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:104-130
Hidden GUI ctrls	[112401,112402,112403,112404] hidden on init	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:84-93
Hint text ctrl	112414 (exit / brightness / marker key binds)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:94-100

Key and mouse bindings (vanilla)

Input	Action	Citation
menuback	sets bis_uav_terminate (exit)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:138
NightVision	toggles a colorInversion pp effect (NVG)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:141-153
binocular (not on map)	drops a numbered mil_destroy user marker at screen center, timestamped	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:156-168
HeliUp / HeliDown	height ±50m, clamped 100–1000m	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:171-192
HeliForward / HeliBack	speed ±50, clamped 200–500 (km/h → /3.6 for forcespeed)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:195-218
Mouse wheel (mousezchanged)	adjusts aperture, finer steps below 1.0 / 0.1, floor 0.001	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:239-252
Mouse button 1 (not on map)	exit if menuback bound to it	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:235
Map left-click	clears waypoints, sets a new MOVE waypoint (retask orbit)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:254-267

The mouse-button-007 branch that toggles ctrls 112401-112404 is explicitly comment 'DISABLED' (uav_interface.sqf:226-234) — the dead button noted in the Modules Atlas.

On exit (bis_uav_terminate / drone or player death), the script restores targeting AI, unlocks the drone, clears all pp effects, removes the 1124 HUD, and detaches the three display handlers plus the map handler (Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface.sqf:272-301).

OA interface variant

When WF_A2_Vanilla is false the spawn routes to uav_interface_oa.sqf instead (uav.sqf:8-12, 67-71). It is a slimmer interface: no RscUnitInfoUAV HUD or minimap controls, a single ColorCorrections pp effect, an OA exit action instead of the menuback key, and height handling via flyinheight rather than the stored-variable readouts.

Difference vs vanilla	OA behavior	Citation
Exit	addAction STR_EP1_UAV_action_exit → uav_actionCommit.sqf	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface_oa.sqf:24-33
HUD	no 1124 cutrsc / no minimap ctrls (commented out)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface_oa.sqf:49-50, 150
Post-process	single ColorCorrections (1999), darker fade target	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface_oa.sqf:43-46
Keydown handler	BIS_UAV_HELI_keydown spawned per keypress	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface_oa.sqf:53-93
Marker key	binocular → numbered mil_destroy marker (same as vanilla)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface_oa.sqf:62-74
Height	HeliUp/HeliDown set flyinheight ±50, clamp 100–1000m, land 'none'	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface_oa.sqf:77-91
Speed control	none (no HeliForward/Back, no aperture wheel)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface_oa.sqf (absent)
Map left-click	same waypoint retask as vanilla	Client/Module/UAV/uav_interface_oa.sqf:105-118

Spotter intel reveal pipeline

While the drone flies, a per-drone loop (uav_spotter.sqf, ExecVM'd from uav.sqf:72) scans nearby entities. Anything the UAV knowsAbout above the sensitivity threshold — and not friendly/civilian — is broadcast to all clients as a uav-reveal, which paints a fuzzed orange ellipse on each player's map at a randomized offset from the real position.

Scan loop

Scan element	Value	Citation
Loop interval	WFBE_C_PLAYERS_UAV_SPOTTING_DELAY = 20s	Client/Module/UAV/uav_spotter.sqf:13, 18; Common/Init/Init_CommonConstants.sqf:440
Scan radius	WFBE_C_PLAYERS_UAV_SPOTTING_RANGE = 1100m (nearEntities)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_spotter.sqf:14, 26; Common/Init/Init_CommonConstants.sqf:442
Knowledge threshold	WFBE_C_PLAYERS_UAV_SPOTTING_DETECTION = 0.21 (knowsAbout 0–4)	Client/Module/UAV/uav_spotter.sqf:15, 22; Common/Init/Init_CommonConstants.sqf:441
Friend/civ filter	!(side _x in [sideJoined, civilian])	Client/Module/UAV/uav_spotter.sqf:22
Per-hit jitter	sleep (0.05 + random 0.05) before send	Client/Module/UAV/uav_spotter.sqf:23
Broadcast	[sideJoined,"HandleSpecial",["uav-reveal",_uav,_x]] Call WFBE_CO_FNC_SendToClients	Client/Module/UAV/uav_spotter.sqf:24
Dispatch	case "uav-reveal": {_args spawn WFBE_CL_FNC_Reveal_UAV}	Client/PVFunctions/HandleSpecial.sqf:68

Fuzzed reveal marker

WFBE_CL_FNC_Reveal_UAV draws a local ellipse whose size — and the random offset of its center — scales with how far the target is from the drone (farther = larger and blurrier circle). The marker auto-deletes after three spotting intervals.

Reveal element	Value	Citation
Type guard	both args must be OBJECT, else logged error	Client/Functions/Client_FNC_Special.sqf:96
Fuzz size	_size = round((_uav distance _target) / 16)	Client/Functions/Client_FNC_Special.sqf:98
Marker name	WFBE_UAV_SPOTTED_%1 keyed by global unitMarker (then incremented)	Client/Functions/Client_FNC_Special.sqf:99-100
Position jitter	each axis ± random(_size) around getPos _target	Client/Functions/Client_FNC_Special.sqf:101
Shape / color	createMarkerLocal ellipse, ColorOrange, size [_size,_size]	Client/Functions/Client_FNC_Special.sqf:102-104
Lifetime	sleep (DELAY*3) = 60s, then deleteMarkerLocal	Client/Functions/Client_FNC_Special.sqf:106-108

The reveal is purely local cosmetic intel (createMarkerLocal / *Local setters) — it is not a public-variable target lock, so it expires per client without server bookkeeping. The unitMarker counter is the shared local marker-id sequence also used by respawn, paratrooper, and AA-radar markers (Common/Init/Init_Common.sqf:177).

Server cleanup monitor

The RequestSpecial ["uav",...] from spawn lands on the server as KAT_UAV (compiled from Support_UAV.sqf), which watches the owning team and trashes the drone + crew once the team's leader is no longer a live player or the drone dies.

Server step	Detail	Citation
Compile	KAT_UAV = Compile preprocessFile "Server\Support\Support_UAV.sqf"	Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:49
Route	case "uav": {_args spawn KAT_UAV}	Server/Functions/Server_HandleSpecial.sqf:63-65
Watch loop	5s poll; exit when team leader not a live player OR drone dead	Server/Support/Support_UAV.sqf:13-16
Teardown	setDammage 1 + TrashObject (with wfbe_trashed guard) on uav/driver/gunner	Server/Support/Support_UAV.sqf:18-20

Continue Reading

• Support Specials and Tactical Modules Atlas
• Tactical Support Menu Player Guide
• Modules Atlas
• Takistan Airfield FPV Drone Design
• Upgrades and Research Atlas