Overview
The Drone Crawler — a scorpion-style robot creature built for action.
This low-poly mechanical unit can play double duty: ally or adversary, drone or pet.
It’s stylized, animated, and simple to integrate into any Unity project that needs
a robotic lifeform with character.
“Drone crawler, scorpion style. See preview game below for interaction with model.”
Released originally in October 2017, this was one of LB3D’s early animated models
made for real-time experimentation — light, efficient, and still going strong.
See it on Sketchfab https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/test-03bc60d8578e412283f50f302ef1a1f6
Design Concept
Built in the spirit of early sci-fi platformers, the Drone Crawler channels the charm
of practical robotics — rigid body parts, folding legs, and an expressive tail that
moves like a mix of weapon and gesture.
The overall shape balances symmetry with tension:
- A bulbous body core for visibility in gameplay.
- Articulated limbs for crawling and stance changes.
- A tail that doubles as a turret, scanner, or sting mechanism depending on role.
The goal was to keep the design readable at distance and flexible for use as AI enemy, companion, or cinematic drone.
Technical Details
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Polygon Count | ~3,000 tris |
| Texture Resolution | 2048 × 2048 (color and normal maps) |
| Rigged | Yes (articulated legs and tail) |
| Animations | 9 total (Attack, Die, Feed, Fly, Idle, Rest, Damage, Taunt, Walk) |
| Prefab | Drone_Walker prefab with Animator setup |
| LODs | None |
| Compatibility | Unity 2018+ (Built-in pipeline) |
Animations Included
- Attack Stance — pre-strike posture
- Die — collapse sequence
- Feed / Throw — usable for feeding or object-toss behavior
- Flying — hover pose (legs folded in)
- Idle Base — neutral state
- Rest Mode — folds legs in and powers down
- Take Damage — flinch animation
- Taunt — tail wag or warning pose
- Walk — forward crawl loop
Each motion is designed for simple controller integration, with no dependencies beyond standard Animator setups.
Usage Notes
To use this model:
- Drag the
Drone_Walkerprefab into your Unity scene. - Create or assign an Animator Controller.
- Connect the controller to the Animator on the prefab’s parent object.
- Reference the included FBX animations for motion logic.
The model works equally well for top-down, third-person, or first-person games.
Because of its low-poly style and clean rig, it’s extremely easy to reskin or recolor.
Demo
Play the interactive preview:
https://lb3d.co/demos/drone-crawler/index.html
Unity Asset Store
Purchase or view on the Asset Store:
Unity Asset Store — Drone Crawler Scorpion Robot
Video Preview
Final Thoughts
The Drone Crawler remains one of the best examples of early LB3D robot design —
equal parts menace and charm.
It can scuttle, hover, or rest with eerie calm. Whether deployed as a security drone,
a boss’s pet, or a friendly companion, this little mechanical scorpion brings a dose
of sci-fi nostalgia to any Unity scene.
Drone Crawler Previews
