The Rocketeer Driver is an Epic-rarity ARC component in ARC Raiders, and it's one of the most important materials you'll need for mid-game progression. It weighs 1.0, sells for 3,000 Coins, and its primary purpose is upgrading the Explosives Station from level 2 to level 3, which in turn unlocks Wolfpack grenade crafting. You'll also need one Rocketeer Driver per Wolfpack you craft at that station.
Quick answer: Scavenge a destroyed Rocketeer for a guaranteed drop, or loot Rocketeer Husks during the Husk Graveyard (also called First Wave Husks) map event for a combat-free alternative.
Killing a Rocketeer for the Driver
The most direct path to a Rocketeer Driver is destroying a live Rocketeer and looting its wreckage. Rocketeers are large, flying ARC enemies that patrol high-loot zones and extraction points on every map. They resemble oversized Hornets and are usually escorted by Wasps and smaller Hornets. A Rocketeer can kill you in two hits if you're running a light shield, so preparation matters more than bravery here.
Step 1: Equip a heavy-ammo weapon like the Ferro or Anvil, and bring at least 50 rounds of Heavy ammo. A Hornet Driver in your Quick Use slot is extremely useful — throwing one at an exposed thruster stuns the Rocketeer for several seconds.
Step 2: Shoot the armor plating off one of the Rocketeer's thrusters first. Once the thruster is exposed, throw the Hornet Driver to stun it, then unload into the exposed thruster to destroy it. Repeat on a second thruster if the first doesn't bring it down.
Step 3: Loot the wreckage immediately. Because ARC Raiders is a PvPvE extraction game, other players may rush your position after hearing the fight. Bringing a Smoke Grenade to cover the wreckage while you loot is a practical way to avoid getting killed before you can extract.
If you have higher-tier gear, the fight is much faster. A single Wolfpack grenade can nearly one-shot a Rocketeer, and a follow-up Anvil round finishes the job. The Hullcracker Launcher, purchasable from vendors for 30,000 Coins, takes roughly 6–7 direct hits to bring one down.
Best Locations to Farm Rocketeers
On Dam Battlegrounds, the Primary Facility area between the Control Tower and Water Treatment Control has a high Rocketeer spawn rate and sits close to an extraction point. The Testing Annex building on the same map offers an elevated window with a clear line of sight to a Rocketeer that patrols the extraction zone below — ideal for shooting from cover.
On Buried City, Rocketeers frequently patrol above the Parking Garage POI south of the Research Building. On Blue Gate, check west of Pilgrim's Peak. They appear on every map, but these three spots have the most consistent spawns.
Getting Rocketeer Drivers Without a Fight
If you don't have the loadout or the confidence to solo a Rocketeer, the Husk Graveyard (sometimes called First Wave Husks) map event is the answer. During this event, destroyed ARC husks — including Rocketeer Husks — spawn across the map. You can walk up and loot them without firing a single shot.
Rocketeer Husks found during this event have a meaningful chance of containing fully intact, undamaged Rocketeer Drivers. Outside of the event, Rocketeer Husks exist on every map but tend to yield only damaged components. The distinction matters: you need working drivers for the Explosives Station upgrade and for the Out of the Shadows quest from Shani.
Electromagnetic Storms appear to improve drop rates from electrified husks, so deploying during that weather condition alongside the Husk Graveyard event is the most efficient no-combat farming method. The Old Battleground area on Dam Battlegrounds and the outskirts of Buried City are reliable spots to find clusters of husks during the event.
Out of the Shadows Quest Requirements
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Quest Giver | Shani |
| Objectives | Destroy a Rocketeer, retrieve a Rocketeer Driver |
| Rewards | 2× Wolfpack, 3× Surge Shield Recharger |
Most players encounter this quest relatively early, well before they have access to Wolfpacks or other high-tier explosives. The Hornet Driver stun method described above is the most accessible approach at lower levels. Snap Grenades also work as a budget alternative for crowd control during the fight.
What to Do With Rocketeer Drivers
Don't sell or recycle Rocketeer Drivers unless you have a surplus. Their most important use is upgrading the Explosives Station from level 2 to level 3, which requires 3 Rocketeer Drivers, 5 Explosive Compounds, and 3 Laboratory Reagents. Once you've built Explosives Station 3, each Wolfpack you craft costs 1 Explosive Compound, 2 ARC Motion Cores, and 1 Rocketeer Driver — plus the Wolfpack Blueprint.
If you do choose to recycle a spare, you'll get 3 ARC Alloy and 2 Advanced Electrical Components. Salvaging instead yields 2 ARC Circuitry. Neither return is particularly generous for an Epic item, so holding onto your drivers for crafting is almost always the better call.
Combat Tips for Rocketeer Encounters
Use the building peek method. Find a structure with two entrances close together. Shoot from one side, then rotate to the other before the Rocketeer's missiles arrive. Rocketeers are slow to re-target, so alternating angles keeps you safe.
Bring a Lure Grenade as an escape tool. If the fight goes sideways, tossing a Lure away from your position pulls the Rocketeer's aggro and gives you time to reposition or disengage entirely.
Watch for other players. Rocketeer fights are loud and attract attention. The biggest risk often isn't the ARC itself but another raider waiting to loot your kill. Staying near cover and having an extraction route planned before you engage makes the difference between walking away with a driver and losing everything.
The Rocketeer Driver sits at a progression bottleneck that every ARC Raiders player hits sooner or later. Whether you take the direct route and bring down a Rocketeer with Heavy ammo and Hornet Drivers, or play it safe during a Husk Graveyard event, the key is extracting with the driver in your inventory. Plan your exit before you start the fight, and save every driver you find — you'll burn through them once the Wolfpack crafting loop opens up.