Standard Docking Computer
The Standard Docking Computer is an optional internal module that automates the ship docking process with a Station or Surface Port. After receiving permission to dock, it can be activated by decreasing the throttle to minimum with flight assist on. It will then take control of the ship and boost, adjust power, and deploy Landing Gear as necessary to guide the ship to its assigned Landing Pad. Automatic docking can be interrupted at any time during the docking process by increasing the throttle or cutting power to the module, which will return control of the ship to the pilot.
Allows automated docking sequence at all starports and outposts.
— In-Game Description
Usage
To enable the Docking Computer the module must be powered first then a docking request needs to be made to a nearby station. After the request is granted the ship must fly near the docking bay doors and throttle down to zero to enable the Docking Computer. To disable the docking attempt the throttle can be raised to return control back to the pilot.
— Additional In-Game Description
The Standard Docking Computer is useful for players who find the docking process difficult or tedious. It is especially useful for large ships, as they require more precise maneuvering to pass through the Access Corridor and land on the Landing Pad. For players who tend to maneuver slowly when docking, using the Standard Docking Computer may also prove to be faster than docking manually. Players can opt to activate automatic docking at any time, even while inside the docking bay of a Starport or Asteroid Base.
While the automatic docking process is generally reliable, it is not foolproof. Other ships flying through an Access Corridor at high-traffic stations may not be recognized by the Standard Docking Computer, resulting in accidental collisions followed by fines or ship destruction. Sometimes, automatic docking may decide on an erroneous flight path that travels through objects, such as a station's exterior, which may also result in fines or ship destruction. These are fringe cases, however, and even if they occur, a wary player will still have time to interrupt automatic docking and avoid serious accidents.
Specifications
| Class | 1 |
|---|---|
| Rating | E |
| Mass (T) | 0.0 |
| Integrity | 10 |
| Power Draw (MW) | 0.390 |
| Value (CR) | 4,500 |
Purchase Locations
| System | Station | Date Seen |
|---|---|---|
| HIP 27417 | Blair Port | Jan 29th, 2015 |
| Bolos | Vizcaino Horizons | May 20th, 2016 |
| Wolf 906 | Herbert | April 12th, 2015 |
| Lave | Lave Station | May 2nd, 2015 |
| ETA Serpentis | Haipeng Point | June 24th, 2015 |
| Fujin | Futen Spaceport | Nov 7th, 2015 |
| Rabh | Friedman Terminal | June 11th, 2015 |
| GD 219 | McKee Ring | June 19th, 2015 |
| Wolf 865 | Nusslein-Volhard Hub | June 21st, 2015 |
| LTT 9810 | Lopez Terminal | June 28th, 2015 |
| Kamadhenu | Couper Hub | Aug 8th, 2015 |
| Teaka | Piercy Terminal | Aug 13th, 2015 |
| Teaka | MacCurdy Station | Aug 13th, 2015 |
| Teaka | Dedekind City | Aug 13th, 2015 |
| LTT 7548 | Alexandria Ring | Sept 27th, 2015 |
| Cantjarisni | Cocharane Enterprise | Sept 27th, 2015 |
| Othet | Salgari City | Sept 28th, 2015 |
| Sahualasta | Kwolek Orbital | Sept 28th, 2015 |
| LHS 3447 | Lawson Orbital | Dec 6th, 2015 |
| Wolf 1148 | Avicenna Port | Oct 22nd, 2015 |
| Kremainn | Wohler Terminal | July 4th, 2017 |
| Sebrove Station | Dec 2nd, 2015 | |
| Kaiakul | Barlowe Station | Dec 3rd, 2015 |
| Ross 695 | Bresnik Orbital | Jan 8th, 2016 |
| LP 734-32 | Franklin Ring | March 3rd, 2016 |
| Alioth | Irkutsk | March 7th, 2016 |
| Kakas | Kube-McDowell Enterpise | March 29th, 2016 |
| Kennan Orbital | July 3rd, 2016 | |
| Cemiess | Meech Dock | Aug 5th, 2017 |
| Zaragas | Jenner Hub | Sept 16th, 2017 |
| Rotanev | Ride Ring | March 3rd, 2018 |
| Bolg | Moxon's Mojo | April 4th, 2018 |
| Malloc | Julian Gateway | April 24th, 2018 |
| LHS 215 | Spring Gateway | May 05th, 2018 |
| Purungurawn | Borelly Hub | May 21th, 2018 |
| LHS 3384 | Michelson Gateway | August 22nd, 2018 |
Videos
Trivia
- Docking Computers first appeared in the original Elite game. They were costly, but worth the investment as docking was a complex process at the time, during which even experienced players occasionally crashed their ship. Automated docking also was faster than manual docking. During automated docking, the computer would play "The Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss II, a homage to the (very slow) docking scene in the 1968 epic science fiction movie 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick which was set to the same piece.
- The Standard Docking Computer was introduced in Elite Dangerous in Standard Beta 1.