Recon Drone

The Recon Drone is a 10-point Support pointstreak that appears in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Overview
The Recon Drone pointstreak gives the player a small, controllable UAV that can fly around the map, and "tag" enemy players, UAVs and turrets. "Tagged" targets will be permanently shown on friendly minimaps until they are killed. The position of tagged targets are updated in real-time, similar to the Blackbird killstreak from Call of Duty: Black Ops, except just dots and not arrows. The Recon Drone also acts as a mobile Scrambler, causing the radars of nearby enemies to fill with static.

If the player uses the Recon Drone in conjunction with a Advanced UAV, all tagged enemys will be shown on the minimap in real time. In addition to this, enemies will not show up as a simple red dot, they instead show up as an which effectively shows their direction (like a blackbird). If an entire team is running a Recon Drone and a UAV, the blackbird effect can stay up the whole game.

Tagging an enemy grants the same amount of XP as a kill with additional assist XP for a "tagged assist" if that enemy is killed by a teammate. Being tagged by the Recon Drone gives a "Tagged by Recon Drone!" message, and lightly blinds and deafens the target, similar to a Flashbang.

The drone lasts for 60 seconds and it has an altitude limit. When reaching it, the image on the screen will start losing definition, similar to the gradual "snow-in" effect of the Scrambler perk. The altitude limit is unique for every map. Furthermore, flying underneath another active stationary airborne killstreak, such as an AH-6 Overwatch, will cause a disruption. Also, the Recon Drone can be destroyed somewhat easily, as it must fly close to the target in order to tag it, and the Drone can be seen on the radar at all times which makes it easy for the enemy to shoot the Drone down, also it can be locked on to and destroyed by SAM Turrets.

Against a Recon Drone, a player should look to lure the Recon Drone into a lower altitude area, or a corridor, as this will make it much easier to shoot at. It is also ill-advised to use Stingers or other launchers on the Recon Drone as (interestingly enough) they have two sets of flares, meaning three rockets are needed, rockets that would be better used on helicopters, Reapers, or an AC-130. The Recon Drone is quite fragile, being easily shot down by bullets, or the Recon Drone can even be destroyed in a single knife attack or by a Throwing Knife should the Drone be close enough to knife, or the player has a good aim with Throwing Knives. EMP grenades are also very effective if thrown at a Recon Drone.

It is important to remember that the Recon Drone requires UAV coordination in Hardcore modes that most would find not worth their time and effort. In Hardcore, tagging an enemy will still grant XP, but does not automatically bring up a UAV for anyone. A UAV or Advanced UAV has to already be up, or called in during tagging, for the Recon Drone to be useful.

Trivia

 * After the Title Update on November 24, when holding the Recon Drone the player would get instructions on launching it.
 * The Recon Drone's radio chatter is reused from the AC-130 pointstreak.
 * The Recon Drone carries two sets of flares, similar to AC-130.
 * Using Blind Eye or Assassin does not protect a player from being tagged by a Recon Drone.
 * Tagged assists from the recon drone do not count towards Hardline Pro kills.
 * This point streak is unavailable for Wii due to RAM restrictions.
 * The Recon Drone can set off and be destroyed by an I.M.S
 * Recon Drones can tag enemy SAM Turrets, Sentry Guns, and Remote Sentries.
 * Interestingly, the Recon Drone can also tag enemy Reapers, even though they are already displayed on the minimap when they are deployed.
 * Recon Drones can also tag enemy UAVs and Counter-UAVs which will show up as a pulse from outside the map on the player's team's map. The player will not receive any XP for this.
 * Oddly enough, running into the Recon Drone instantly destroys it.
 * Before launching the Recon Drone (holding it), the player will appear to be holding a laptop in third-person.

Video
Video:Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Recon Drone

Gameplay of the Recon Drone on Dome.

Video:Recon Drone WIN!

A Recon Drone can protect a player from a Predator Missile by taking the missile's direct impact.