Surveillance Drone

A compact surveillance drone that spies, distracts, shocks, and self-destructs.

The Tri-Rotor is a compact surveillance drone featured in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist. It is a tactical gadget used by Sam Fisher, a highly trained operative working for the Fourth Echelon. The drone can spy on enemies, create distractions, give electric shocks, and self-destruct to kill enemies. It is equipped with fixed night-vision and thermal vision modes to detect enemies in darkness and spot heat signatures through thin surfaces.

Quick Facts

User: Sam Fisher; Fourth Echelon Operatives
Primary function: Remote Visual Surveillance
First major appearance: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist

Lore & Background

In Blacklist, the Tri-Rotor serves as a key piece of equipment for Sam Fisher as he seeks to stop a terrorist group called the Engineers. The drone is a compact surveillance drone that can be deployed to scout areas without exposing Fisher to danger. It can spy on enemies to gather intelligence on their positions and patrol routes. The Tri-Rotor can also create distractions to lure enemies away from their posts, giving Fisher an opportunity to slip past unnoticed. For more direct intervention, the drone can deliver electric shocks to incapacitate enemies. As a last resort, it can self-destruct to eliminate enemies in a small radius. The drone's camera modes—night vision and thermal vision—are fixed and not customizable. Its thermal vision can detect heat through thin surfaces but does not universally see through walls like sonar or X-ray.

Reader's Guide

The Tri-Rotor is deployed from the gadget wheel and can be controlled manually using the controller. It has four primary functions: spying, distracting, shocking, and self-destructing. Use the drone to scout ahead and mark enemies for the mark-and-execute system. It can also be used to disable lights or create diversions. The drone's battery life is limited, so use it strategically. In the Wii U version, the Gamepad controller's touchscreen can be used to access the drone's controls and other gadgets from the OPSAT. The Tri-Rotor is available in both single-player and cooperative multiplayer modes.