The Drake Corsair
The Corsair by Drake Interplanetary is a raiding and exploration ship with a strong weapons loadout in the front for taking down bigger targets and looting them / raiding. Sold as an "exploration" vessel to compete with the RSI Constellation ships, the Corsair is an aggressive and asymmetric cannon boat that can fit a rover or / and some cargo.
About the Corsair
The Corsair can be thought of as a small version of the Carrack and a competitor to the RSI Constellation. The extended range makes the Corsair ideal for exploration raiding with enough Quantum Fuel to return and bring back goods without refueling.
Given the front facing cannon loadout and the ability to carry cargo this ship can prey on larger lightly-defended cargo ships (like the Hull C) or on space stations as per the concept sale picture.
This ship is a very good option for small crews of 3 or 4 players to play space pirates travelling the far reaches of the universe raiding other ships, stations and perhaps outposts and then returning home with the spoils. A true Corsair!
Drake Corsair Quick Facts
| Original Sale Date | March 2019 |
|---|---|
| Concept Sale Price | $195 |
| Max Crew | 4 |
| Length | 55m |
| Role | Exploration (Raiding) |
| Cargo Capacity | 72 SCU |
| Official Page | Drake Corsair |
Drake Corsair Cargo Capacity
Ships with less dedicated cargo space than the Drake Corsair:
- RSI Apollo 28 SCU
- Anvil Valkyrie 30 SCU
- Origin 600i Explorer 40 SCU
- Drake Cutlass Black 46 SCU
- MISC Hull A 64 SCU
- MISC Freelancer 66 SCU
Ships with more dedicated cargo space than the Drake Corsair:
- Crusader Mercury Star Runner 96 SCU
- MISC Freelancer MAX 122 SCU
- Anvil Crucible 230 SCU
- Crusader A2 Hercules 234 SCU
- Crusader M2 Hercules 234 SCU
- MISC Hull B 384 SCU
- Anvil Carrack 456 SCU
- Crusader C2 Hercules 624 SCU
- Banu Merchantman 3584 SCU
- MISC Hull C 4806 SCU
Drake Corsair Size Comparison
Drake Corsair Ship Layout
The concept art layout shows a rather well spaced compact ship. Each crew member potentially having small crew quarters.
Drake Corsair & Ship Naming
Owners of the Drake Corsair can uniquely name their ship. Players interested in knowing more about naming ships should read the official Ship Name Reservation FAQ.
Corsair Questions & Answers
Is the Corsair better than the Constellation?
The Corsair and the Constellation are very similar ships on paper. The Constellation is more robust and also features a snub ship (except for the Constellation Taurus variant). The Constellation has many missiles but less firepower and the Corsair has more turrets including a rear-facing turret.
The RSI Constellation currently has very limited living quarters in all variants except the Phoenix. This means that the Corsair is currently far better suited at extended duration travel. The Corsair is listed as having 2 quantum fuel tanks while the Constellation Andromeda only has one.
The Corsair offers weaker armor than the Constellation meaning it is more of a "glass cannon". The Corsair was released with Alpha 3.17.4 with size 3 shields and based on early combat experience it is quite tanky and not a glass cannon.
For players looking for a longer range dedicated explorer / raider and a small crew the Corsair is currently a better option than the Constellation series. For pure exploration the Constellation Aquila seems to have the advantage with more advanced and comprehensive scanning options.
Is the Corsair like a small Carrack?
The Corsair is a smaller and more affordable version of the Carrack. While the Carrack is a tough military long range explorer the Corsair offers some of the same gameplay but with a smaller and faster ship that will have less woes getting to a planet's surface and back into deep space.
Can the Corsair fit a Tank?
The Ursa Rover (or similar sized) will be the largest vehicle that fits in the Corsair. The Corsair will not fit a tank.