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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →To get a Surveyor Vault, destroy an ARC Surveyor and salvage its remains—or search ARC Couriers, which are also listed as a source. The easiest opening against a Surveyor is its blue-beam transmission: it stops moving and exposes its core. Approach with a stun item ready, then hit the core with a powerful explosive. If it escapes or you miss that window, Heavy Ammo is the recommended way to strip its armor.
How to defeat a Surveyor
Spot the transmission beam
Surveyors are spherical, heavily armored ARC machines, and their core is their weak point. Watch the skyline for a blue beam: while transmitting, a Surveyor retracts its armor, stays still, and exposes the core. That pause is your best chance to attack.
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A Surveyor that detects a Raider finishes its action and then rolls away quickly—faster than a Raider can sprint, according to the community wiki. Don’t try to chase one across the map. If it is already moving, break off and look for another transmission.
Stun it, then hit the core
- Approach carefully while it is transmitting. Have your stun item selected before you get close.
- Use a Hornet Driver or Showstopper to stun it. These are the stun items named by the ARC Raiders Wiki.
- Follow with a powerful explosive against the exposed core. The wiki recommends a Heavy Fuze Grenade after the stun.
- Loot the remains. Salvaging a destroyed Surveyor is a listed source of Surveyor Vaults.
If you cannot take advantage of the exposed-core window, use Heavy Ammo to shed the armor panels; the wiki says it is more effective for this than most ammo types. The ARC Tracker Atlas also lists Medium Ammo as a viable option and Heavy Fuze Grenades as a recommendation. These are source recommendations, not independently tested loadouts.
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Expect it to flee, but don’t assume it is harmless
Flight is the Surveyor’s main response to being detected. The wiki also says it may ram an attacker if it has no other defensive option, dealing moderate damage. Keep your approach deliberate and be ready to stun rather than relying on a long chase.
Where to farm Surveyor Vaults
Salvage Surveyors—and consider ARC Couriers
The Surveyor Vault is in-game salvage used for a Medical Lab upgrade. The ARC Raiders Wiki describes it as salvage from a destroyed Surveyor. The ARC Raiders Hub item page lists both ARC Surveyors and ARC Couriers as sources, and says the item can be recycled or salvaged.
Couriers are an alternative to tracking a fleeing Surveyor, but a listed source is not a guaranteed drop. The available item information gives no Courier drop rate, reliable Vault count per Surveyor, or guaranteed farming route. Plan for the possibility of leaving a run without a Vault rather than relying on a particular yield.
Maps listed for Surveyors
The ARC Tracker Atlas lists Surveyors on these maps:
- Dam Battlegrounds
- The Spaceport
- The Blue Gate
- Buried City
That is the Atlas’s list, not a guarantee of a spawn in every match or an exhaustive, current list. Enemy locations and mechanics may change with patches; the cited information comes from community and fan resources rather than official developer documentation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Mixed Signals quest requirements
Shani gives the Mixed Signals quest after Dormant Barons. It requires destroying an ARC Surveyor and obtaining one Surveyor Vault. On accepting the quest, Shani advises: “Surveyors are particularly skittish, so I’d suggest you find a way to stun them before engaging.” The community wiki records this as in-game quest dialogue, not a developer interview.
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The Surveyor codex entry describes it as: “Evasive and mysterious, the ARC Surveyor is known amongst Raiders as a rich source of high-value ARC tech.” This is likewise in-game text recorded by the community wiki.
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Choose your approach based on the Surveyor’s state
| Situation | Practical approach |
|---|---|
| Surveyor is transmitting with its core exposed | Approach with a Hornet Driver or Showstopper ready; stun it, then use a powerful explosive such as a Heavy Fuze Grenade against the core. |
| Surveyor detects you or starts rolling away | Do not waste time sprinting after it. Look for another transmission opportunity. |
| You miss the exposed-core attack | Use Heavy Ammo to strip armor; Medium Ammo is also listed as viable by the ARC Tracker Atlas. |
| You want an alternate Vault source | Search ARC Couriers as well as Surveyors, without assuming a guaranteed drop. |
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