Speed and vertical mobility are game-changers in Dune: Awakening, especially once you move beyond the early zones of Hagga Basin. The Ornithopter isn’t just a vehicle—it’s your ticket to reaching elite POIs, bypassing worm zones, and unlocking the full scope of exploration and PvP ambush tactics. This guide walks you through everything you need to secure one early, from key quest steps and POI routes to part drops and crafting requirements.
You need to finish the main quests in Hagga Basin South and move to Vermillius Gap to be able to build it. If you need help with the first area, be sure to check out Hagga Basin South Walkthrough.
1. Why You Should Get the Ornithopter Early in Dune: Awakening
The Ornithopter is one of the fastest long-range traversal vehicles in Dune: Awakening, essential for navigating late-game zones and escaping sandworm threats.
Unlocking it early gives you massive advantages in loot acquisition, exploration, PvP mobility and mainly you can take and finish all the quests MUCH faster. Not talking about collecting the intel points, which are crucial for further progression.
2. How To Unlock and Craft Your First Ornithopter
To be able to craft the Ornithopter, you need to spend 250 Intel points in the Research. Then the aluminium products get unlocked and you can craft the Scout Ornithopter.
Ornithopter 250 Intel points needed
3. Best Locations to Farm Ornithopter Parts and Crafting Materials in Dune: Awakening
To craft your first Ornithopter in Dune: Awakening, you’ll need to gather a diverse set of rare components scattered across high-tier POIs and resource zones. Some parts are easy to get while others require deep cave exploration or lucky RNG drops. Here’s exactly where to go for each type of material.
Base location, farming spots for Ornithopter
For this, the best location for your base is shown in the image above, just south of Helius Gate. From your base near the rock formations, you can mine large amounts of iron and carbon to the south. Then, cross the dunes northward to reach rich aluminum deposits. Additional components can be looted nearby at crash sites and camps scattered across Vermillius Gap.
- Aluminum Ore: Found in large quantities around the mountain range near the start of the Shield Wall north of your base. Mine here to refine over 1,700 aluminum ore needed for your ornithopter frame.
- Advanced Servoks & Particle Capacitors: Frequently drop from enemy loot and chests in labs across the map. No specific lab required, most will yield these with regular runs.
- Cobalt Paste: Harvest Etherite crystals in the massive cave systems of Hagga Rift area northeast of your base. Look for pink glowing crystals deep underground.
- Armor Plating: Common drop from heavy enemies in labs. Alternatively, check the loot inside the crashed ships.
- Carbide Scraps & Diamondine Dust: Both are found exclusively in Mysa Tarill—a distinctive POI surrounded by the remains of a giant electrified worm. One full clear usually yields everything you need. Just ride west across the sand from your base, and it’s behind The Crossroads Tradepost
- Complex Machinery: Found in the Northern Vermillius Gap at camps that resemble giant rocket ships. These contain operating machinery you can loot. Crashed ships also drop these frequently.
- Industrial Pumps: Mainly found in crashed ships.
Always loot crashed ships when you see them—they’re a critical source of armor plating, industrial pumps, and complex machinery. For consistent resource farming, building a base near the Shield Wall and Vermillius Gap gives you access to nearly everything you need.
4. All Materials Needed To Craft the Ornithopter
Ornithopter resources.
To craft your first Ornithopter, you must use the Base Fabricator and unlock schematics via the Research Tree. The following components are required:
| Item | Needed Quantity | Used For (Vehicle Component) | Resources to Craft | Where to Find Resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum Ingots | 243 | All frame components (Chassis, Wings, Engine) | ~1,700 Aluminum Ore | Mine from aluminum nodes in mid to high-tier zones |
| Cobalt Paste | 82 +60 (for facilities) |
Ornithopter parts + Medium Ore Refinery | ~426 Airthrite | Harvest Airthrite in caves or rocky biomes |
| Advanced Servoks | 46 | Cockpit and Wing assembly | Mechanical Parts ×92 Silicon Blocks ×46 |
Crafted at Electronics Bench; POI drops |
| Particle Capacitors | 22 | Flight systems and engine modules | Diamondine Dust ×22 Microfiber ×44 |
Crafted at Electronics Bench with rare materials |
| Complex Machinery | 8 +80 (for facilities) |
Power routing and vehicle core systems | Tier-2 Fabricator product | Looted from Testing Stations; crafted midgame |
| Diamondine Dust | 14 (+22 already counted for Capacitors) |
Used in direct parts and Capacitor crafting | Raw Diamondine Crystals | Dropped in PvE dungeons, PvP wrecks |
| Carbide Scraps | 7 | Reinforcement layer in multiple parts | Direct drop only | Found in loot crates at advanced POIs |
| Industrial Pumps | 8 | Internal power and cooling systems | Crafted via schematic unlocks | Rare loot containers; Research Tree |
| Steel Ingots | 165 (125 for Refinery + 40 for Fabricator) |
Crafting facilities needed for assembly | Iron Ore ×330 Carbon Dust ×165 |
Mine iron in midgame zones; carbon from organics |
| Water | ~70,000 to 100,000 liters | Needed for processing and fabrication | Collected via blood, dew traps, wind catchers | Blood sacks, dew plants (night), wind traps |
Total Resources Required to Build the Ornithopter:
- Iron Ore: 330
- Carbon Dust: 165 – to make Steel Ingots: 165
- Aluminum Ore: ~1,700 (Aluminum ingots: 243)
- Silicon Blocks: 46
- Airthrite: ~426
- Mechanical Parts: 92
- Diamondine Dust: 36
- Microfiber: 44
- Carbide Scraps: 7
- Industrial Pumps: 8
- Carbon Dust: 165
- Water: ~100,000 liters
- Complex Machinery: 88
5. Ornithopter Crafting Requirements: Fabricator Tier and Base Setup
To craft the Ornithopter in Dune: Awakening, you need more than just parts—you’ll need an upgraded base setup and specific crafting stations unlocked through the Research Tree. Here’s what you must have:
5.1 What Fabricator Tier You Need To Craft the Ornithopter
The Base Fabricator must be upgraded to a higher tier to allow vehicle construction. Ornithopter components like the chassis and electronics will not appear until you’ve unlocked their schematics using Intel Points gathered from POIs.
- Fabricator Tier: Requires research from the Vehicle Engineering branch.
- Unlock Method: Spend 8-12 Intel Points in the Research Tree at your Fabricator console.
5.2 What Crafting Stations You Need To Build the Ornithopter
To process the materials and craft the Ornithopter, you’ll also need the following base modules:
- Smelter – Converts raw Copper Ore into Refined Copper.
- Electronics Bench – Used to assemble Vehicle Electronics and Power Cells.
- Vehicle Terminal – Deploys crafted vehicles like the Sandbike and Ornithopter.
5.3 Best Base Setup for Power, Storage, and Vehicle Safety
Ensure your base has a steady power supply and shield coverage to prevent loss during storms:
- Install a Generator fueled by Fuel Cells.
- Activate the Base Shield System to protect your crafting modules.
- Use Storage Containers to hold bulky materials like Tail Section and Chassis.
Without a properly equipped base, crafting the Ornithopter is impossible—even if you have all the parts. Build smart, upgrade fast, and protect your setup from the harsh sands of Arrakis.
Mining Resources.
6. How To Safely Store Your Ornithopter (Avoid Storm or Shard Loss)
Once you craft the Ornithopter in Dune: Awakening, it becomes one of your most valuable assets and one of the easiest to lose if unprotected. To avoid losing it during shard transitions, storms, or crashes, use the in-game vehicle storage tools strategically.
6.1 How To Use the Vehicle Backup Tool To Protect Your Ornithopter
The Vehicle Backup Tool allows you to safely store the Ornithopter before entering dungeons or changing zones:
- How to Use: Interact with the vehicle and activate the backup function via your hotbar or radial menu.
- When to Use: Before entering instances, shard transitions, or hostile terrain.
- Where to Find: Crafted at your base Fabricator or found in high-tier loot containers.
6.2 How To Protect Your Ornithopter From Storms and Sand Damage
Sandstorms can destroy any vehicle left outside. To avoid loss:
- Always store the Ornithopter within a shielded base perimeter.
- Never leave vehicles parked on open sand during storms or logouts.
- Use the Vehicle Backup Tool to safely store your Ornithopter before entering dungeons, logging out, or changing shards.
6.3 How To Deploy or Recall the Ornithopter From a Vehicle Terminal
Stored vehicles can be redeployed at any Vehicle Terminal in a secure base. Use this to swap between your Ornithopter and other mounts as needed.
Proper use of storage and retrieval systems ensures your vehicle investment doesn’t get erased by weather, enemies, or server wipes.
7. How To Buy an Ornithopter in Dune: Awakening (No Crafting Required)
If you want to skip crafting and get your Ornithopter faster, you can purchase it directly from a faction vendor. This method requires both Reputation Level 4 with a faction and a large amount of Solari, but completely bypasses the need to farm materials and assemble parts.
- Join a faction: Choose between the Atreides or Harkonnen factions and start completing faction quests.
- Reach Reputation Level 4: Turn in contracts at The Anvil Tradepost or faction outposts to gain reputation. Each quest contributes progress.
- Save 125,000 Solari: The full Ornithopter purchase requires a high Solari cost. Sell high-value loot and complete quests to farm currency.
- Buy at a vendor: Once eligible, visit the Atreides vendor in Arrakeen or the Harkonnen vendor in Harko Village to purchase the Ornithopter parts directly.
This is the fastest way to obtain a flying vehicle if you focus on quest grinding and money farming over exploration and crafting. Once purchased, the Ornithopter behaves exactly like a crafted one and can be deployed from your Vehicle Terminal.
Fast travel easily in Arrakis.
FAQ
How do you unlock the Ornithopter in Dune: Awakening?
Why should you get the Ornithopter early?
Where do you find Ornithopter parts?
What are the rarest components for the Ornithopter?
What crafting stations do you need to build the Ornithopter?
What is the best base location for farming Ornithopter materials?
Can you lose the Ornithopter in storms or shard transitions?
How do you protect and recall your Ornithopter?
