Pilots Guide
This guide is designed to help a new or experienced pilot get the most out of their spacecraft. It uses the Falcon Delacy Sidewinder as an example but the concepts are applicable to all spacecraft in the universe of Elite: Dangerous.
For a more detailed guide see Forger's detailed pilot's guide.
Also check the official guide for the Beta 2 additions.
And the official Beta FAQ.
Pilot Training
These videos outline the basics of Elite: Dangerous and are recommended for all new players.
Center HUD
The centre area shows important tactical information.
Target Information
Displays textual information on the current target, such as their name, ship type, and currently targeted subsystem. If no target is selected then information on the system is displayed.
Target Hologram
Shows a holographic image of the current target.
The following information is provided by the hologram:
- orientation relative to ship
- shield strength
- displayed as three blue circles for full shields and reduces to three red for downed shields
- hull health
- displayed underneath the target ship model
- position of incoming damage
- displayed as flashes of light on the hologram
Compass
The white circle marker indicates the position of the target relative to the ship's current heading. If the marker is a solid white then the target is in front of the ship and if the marker is an outline then the target is behind. The Compass turns blue when the ship is lined up for a hyperspace jump to another system.
Heat Indicator
Displays the current temperature of the ship (as a percentage). Once the ship reaches around 140% heat it will begin to take damage. Normally heat is radiated away from the ship through vents, however there are still a few ways that a ship can overheat - flying too close to a star, Silent Running mode which will stop the ship from emitting heat will cause the heat to build up inside the ship, or using too many heat inducing modules too quickly (such as continual boosting followed by FSD activation). Under normal conditions, the heat vents of a ship will be able to keep a ship's heat manageable - though, in some situations the pilot may want to use a (previously equipped) Heat Sink Launcher to cool the ship.
Scanner
| Type | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | Friendly |
| Yellow | Neutral |
| Red | Hostile |
| Grey | Cargo or FSD Wake |
| Flashing Red | Shooting at Player |
| Square | Weapons Not Deployed |
| Triangle | Weapons Deployed |
| Solid Icon | NPC |
| Outlined Icon | Player |
| Flickering Yellow | Unresolved Contact |
Displays contacts and signals in the surrounding area. Objects are displayed depending on their position to the player's ship. Contacts are shown in various colours and shapes, indicating information about each contact. All signals are resolved once their signature strength exceeds a certain sensor threshold. Signature strength is determined based on distance to the signal and its emitted heat. The scanner can be switched between linear and logarithmic mode, in logarithmic mode the area nearest to the ship is magnified to provide more resolution on the relative positions of object nearby.
The yellow marker in the gauge directly underneath the edge of the scanner circle shows the current scanning range. The scanner range is smaller if the marker is towards the left-hand side and at its maximum when set to the far right. By default the scanner range can be changed by pressing Page Up to decrease range and Page Down to increase range.[citation needed]
The lines connecting the ship markers to the flat plane of the scanner show whether a detected object is above or below the current plane of your ship. If the line is drawn upwards towards a marker then the object is above the player's ship, and conversely if it is drawn downwards then the object is below the player's ship.
Speed Indicator
The speed indicator displays many things and can be one of the most important gauges when maneuvering.
- The current speed is displayed at the top as a number
- The horizontal bars indicate how fast the ship is moving relative to it's normal maximum speed (note that it is possible to temporarily go faster than the normal maximum by boosting)
- The moving horizontal line represents the current throttle
- The blue section indicates the optimal turning speed - try to keep the throttle within this zone to make tight maneuvers
Ship Hologram
Shows a holographic image of your ship.
The following information is provided by the hologram:
- orientation relative to ship
- shield strength
- displayed as three blue circles for full shields and reduces to three red for downed shields
- hull health
- displayed underneath the target ship model
- position of incoming damage
- displayed as flashes of light on the hologram
Power Distribution
Displays the current power distribution between the ship's three capacitors - Systems (SYS), Engines (ENG), and Weapons (WEP). Energy in each capacitor is filled based upon how many pips are allocated to that capacitor.
There are 6 pips (12 halves) that can be distributed at any time between the three capacitors by pressing the Left Arrow for Systems, Up Arrow for Engines, Right Arrow for Weapons, or Down Arrow to reset the pips to 2/2/2 (4/4/4 halves). Each capacitor can be allocated a maximum of 4 pips (8 halves) which will cause them to regenerate at maximum speed and a minimum of 0 pips which will cause them to not regenerate at all.
Each capacitor can store a maximum amount of energy determined by the ship's Power Distributor. When power is expended (either by shooting, regenerating shields, boosting, etc.) it then begins to regenerate back to maximum capacity at a rate determined by how many pips are allocated to its capacitor.
Players can view what capacitor each module draws from in the ship's right control panel under the Module section.
Systems
Shield and ship systems draw energy from this capacitor. The more energy stored here, the faster the shields will recharge. Pips in this capacitor will influence the overall strength of the shields (note that zero pips will result in very weak shields).
Engines
Boosting draws energy from this capacitor. A boost can only be activated if there is a sufficient amount of energy stored. Pips in this capacitor will influence the ship's maximum speed, optimum maneuverability range, and top boost speed.
Weapons
Weapons and some scanners draw energy from this capacitor. Pips in this capacitor will allow weapons to cool faster thus reducing overheating problems.
Signature
The waveform in the heat signature display indicates how much heat the ship is emitting to space. A flatter waveform means less heat is being emitted, therefore it will be more difficult for the sensors of other ships to detect the ship's signature. When Silent Running is switched on the waveform will be replaced with blue "Silent Running" text.
Fuel
The ship's fuel information is displayed here as a number, a thin line, and a segmented bar.
The number displays how much fuel (in tons) the ship is currently using per hour - so 0.22/h means that the ship will consume 0.22 Tons of fuel every hour at the current rate. Note that the number changes based upon how fast the ship is moving and if it is in supercruise or in normal space.
The thin line displays the current running fuel that the ship has - consumed when in supercruise or normal space. The segmented bar displays how much fuel is in the ship's main fuel tank and is predominantly consumed when performing Hyperspace jumps.
Misc Indicators
There are three sections here : Mass Locked, Landing Gear, and Cargo Scoop. When the state is active the box will light up, and when inactive (default state) it will be your UI's default color.
- Mass Locked - Lights up when the ship is too close to a large object that is disrupting its ability to use the FSD.
- Landing Gear - Lights up when the landing gear is deployed. Must be deployed when landing at a station in order to complete the docking procedure.
- Cargo Scoop - Lights up when the cargo scoop is deployed. Top speed will be limited while the cargo scoop is deployed.
Comms
Comms are where the player can communicate with other players and where messages from NPCs will be displayed.
Info
The Info section displays notifications about the status of your ship, other nearby ships, and bounty related activity.
Proximity Indicators
The two elongated panels (with red lights in them) flash red or yellow as proximity alerts. These panels may be in a different location or have a different shape depending on the ship's type.
Contacts Panel (Left Panel)
This panel shows navigation, transactions, contacts and your target's subsystems and cargo (requires Cargo Scanner).
Navigation
Displays your current location and destination along the left and provides easy access to the Galaxy Map and System Map at the bottom left. Celestials and other systems are displayed in the big section on the right; the player can scroll through this section to select a destination which the compass will then direct you towards.
Transactions
Contacts
Objects that are displayed on the scanner will show up here with more information. Contacts can be locked and interacted with by highlighting one of them from the list. Ship contacts will display their ship type, faction allegiance, bounty, shield strength, and hull strength.
Sub-Targets
Once the target ship is scanned by the ship's sensors, this panel will display more information on each of the target ship's subsystems, and allow the player to target the individual subsystems. The health of each subsystem of the target is also displayed in this panel.
Cargo
If the player has a Cargo Scanner equipped and has scanned the target with it then the cargo of the target will be displayed in this panel.
Systems Panel (Right Panel)
This panel shows the player's stats, ship modules, fire groups, ship cargo, and ship functions.
Status
The status panel displays a variety of information. The left half displays (from top to bottom) your name (prefixed by "CMDR"), your Combat Rank, Trade Rank, Explorer Rank, Balance, ship and module rebuy cost (incase of ship destruction), local bounty, and local reputation.
The right half can be cycled between various menus to display lots of useful information such as reputation with all of the main factions as well as the minor factions active in the current system, personal statistics, acquired permits, etc.
Modules
This panel displays all of the ship's currently equipped modules. The module name, class, rating, type, power consumption (translates into heat generated), priority, and health are all displayed here. Module priority can be changed here by highlighting the module (default S and W) and moving left or right (default A and D) to change the priority at which they receive power. Modules can also be turned on and off by highlighting the module and "selecting" it (default Space) which will stop them from consuming power and generating heat. Total power usage and heat generated are shown at the bottom of the panel.
Fire Groups
Ships can hold multiple weapons of all varieties and kinds. Fire groups can be assigned to weapons and some equipment, the Yellow circles with a 1 inside represent primary fire, and the blue circles with a 2 inside secondary fire. Multiple fire groups can be created, allowing different combinations of weapons and fire button assignments to be used. Previously created groups can be switched on the fly using the "cycle fire group" button (default N).
The first single-player combat mission starts with a configuration of only one fire group with both weapons assigned as primary, meaning they both fire when the trigger is pressed. In this example, another fire group could be set-up, with only one gun assigned to each of the two fire groups. It will help to try around with this to get a good understanding of the mechanic.
Cargo
Functions
Displays a variety of options and toggles for the player to customize their flight experience. Ship type and jump range are also displayed here on the left.
- It is recommended for new players to keep Flight Assist and Rotational Correction ON when getting used to flight.
- "Preflight Checks" require the player to demonstrate that they know the basic flight control buttons. Even if this is set to off (recommended) the player must complete these checks after every save clear.
- "Report Crimes Against Me" will notify the System Authorities when you are attacked. For Bounty Hunters, Pirates, Smugglers and others who don't want the Authorities to interfere it is recommended to turn this OFF (at least temporarily while you are doing "business" with customers).
Additional Guides
- Blazing your own trail in Elite: Dangerous
- This infographic provides a good overview and insightful starting information for each profession.
