Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain changes up the bug-blasting actions series in a number of ways — instead of choosing a class, you’ll select different rigs with alternate abilities. The game also changes how you unlock new weapons. Instead of finding random weapon crate drops, you’ll need to collect in-game gems to upgrade your skills. You can also unlock blueprints — and one of the ways to unlock blueprints is by collecting hidden drones.
There is one drone in every mission. That’s a total of 55 drones, and you’ll get a bunch of rewards for getting them all. You’ll get rewards for each individual drone you collect, so it’s actually pretty important to find these things. Too bad they’re hard to spot, and when you’re constantly under attack by swarms of alien bugs, there isn’t a lot of time to just go searching. Below, you’ll find locations to search for every mission — hopefully it’ll point you in the right direction.
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MIA Drone Locations Guide
MIA Drones are special collectibles that you’ll find in every single mission of the game. Finding these drones will unlock weapon blueprints and emblems.
Practice Mission 1: Under the ‘200m’ target range sign.
Practice Mission 2: At the top of the air control tower in the far distance, over the wall.
Practice Mission 3: Right at the start of the mission, jet to the top of the wall to the left and look below. There’s a tent on the dessert floor. Shoot the tent to reveal the drone.
Mission 1: On the right side of the street, straight ahead from the start before you reach the bug nest.
Mission 2: Inside the very tall space needle tower. Destroy it and look in the cleared remains.
Mission 3: From the start of the mission, go right and jet past the large white mech. The drone is sitting on the edge of the park, near a white car.
Mission 4: Directly left of the starting point, under a tree.
Mission 5: Turn right at the start of the mission. You’ll see a huge beached ship in the distance. The drone is near the front of the ship.
Mission 6: In an alley between buildings, in the far back-right corner of the map. Go over the park, and jump the buildings ahead to find the alley.
Mission 7: Turn around and fly to the far southwest corner of the map. Fly toward the ruined highway in the distance — the drone is next to a flag in the sand.
Mission 8: Turn around and fly to the raised highway — there’s a yellow building nearby. Jump onto the rooftop directly above the entrance of the yellow building.
Mission 9: Right behind the starting spawn point. Just turn around to spot the drone on the sidewalk.
Mission 10: From the spawn, fly straight ahead to a partially sunken old bus. The drone is next to the bus.
Mission 11: Fly up to the highest platform on the southeast corner of the exterior wall.
Mission 12: On the platform, to the right of the cracked exterior wall.
Mission 13: Go right from the start. The drone is next to a flat rock, behind the large mountain.
Mission 14: Follow the river left to the mission edge. Across the water, there’s a tent campground with the drone, further in the forest.
Mission 15: In the tunnels, follow the pointers until you reach a pointer aiming right. Go left instead, to a water-filled tunnel (past a pointer advising you to go the opposite direction) — the drone is under a waterfall.
Mission 16: Straight ahead, turn left at the raised highway. Go left and follow the highway until you find ruins with a red car embedded in the concrete — the drone is next to the car.
Mission 17: Found in the far northwest edge of the desert map.
Mission 18: From the spawn point, go left and turn right into an alley to locate this drone.
Mission 19: Travel southeast of the spawn point to the raised highway section. The drone is sitting under a highway, surrounded by black trash bags.
Mission 20: Drive straight past the giant monster to the southern boundary of the map. Shoot the tent on the hill to discover a drone.
Mission 21: South of the spawn, reach the gas station off the road.
Mission 22: Near the spawn, go to the southeast corner and look for the drone in an alcove between the parking lot fence and a booth.
Mission 23: Travel along the beach, and you’ll find the drone under the water in the far southern corner.
Mission 24: Right behind where you start, near a military vehicle.
Mission 25: Southeast of the three alien towers, look for a fountain next to a tall grey apartment building. The drone is at the top of the old fountain.
Mission 26: South of the spawn, check the edge of the map where a blue military barrier is constructed. On the right edge of the barrier, you’ll find a drone.
Mission 27: There’s a blue tent in the southeast corner of the map. Climb the first rocky cliff near the spawn to reach it.
Mission 28: At the base of a tall yellow crane on the western border of the map.
Mission 29: In the final room, find the drone along the right side, next to a big white web.
Mission 30: Fly through the hole in the exterior wall and look on the ground, on the right side of the blue containers.
Mission 31: Drive east from the starting point. Before reaching the canyon, look in the craters to the right of the road — the drone is in one of the craters.
Mission 32: Destroy the crane near the hole in the exterior wall, and the drone will drop to the ground.
Mission 33: Travel straight ahead, due east, from the start. Fly past the debris and toward the two standing towers in the background. The drone is on the sand near the boundary of the map.
Mission 34: Go to the far left corner of the beach and look for a small umbrella near the rocks. The drone is under the red umbrella.
Mission 35: Travel to the right, up the hill from the spawn point. At the row houses, look for a backyard patio with this drone.
Mission 36: Directly to your right from the starting point. It’s under a tree just off the road.
Mission 37: Go to the courtyard to the left of the left-most bug tower. There’s a courtyard between building in the southeast corner with yellow pods. The drone is near the pods.
Mission 38: On the western edge of the crater. Fly up toward a large floodlight — the drone is nearby.
Mission 39: Straight ahead from the starting spawn point. Find the drone between burning debris and a bus stop.
Mission 40: Go south from spawn and look under an umbrella at the gas station.
Mission 41: Follow the red pointers to the first room with a stack of green crates in the center. To the right, you’ll find the drone in a cage.
Mission 42: From spawn, travel north to the park. Look along the exterior of the park for a ruined wall — the drone is on the exterior wall, near some “crazy” graffiti.
Mission 43: Fly up onto the cliff directly behind your starting position and look for a bunch of military equipment under a tree.
Mission 44: Go to the back of the ship. The drone is sitting on top of one of the engines that’s mostly underwater.
Mission 45: From the starting point, go south and look behind a building to the right near the boundary. There’s a drone in the sand near some debris.
Mission 46: On a small platform at the back of the tower / bridge of the battle cruiser.
Mission 47: From spawn, go right (west) to a large open concrete clearing. The drone is located in that clearing.
Mission 48: Fly straight ahead from the start — down the hill, look for equipment and a flood light near a tree.
Mission 49: Located in the gas station parking lot, right behind the first wave of enemies.
Mission 50: Under a blue tarp, under the raised highway road located directly ahead of your starting location.
Mission 51: Drop down to the right strut under the main section of the ship.
Mission 52: On the ground in the far southeast corner of the map, near one of the wrecked engines.
