Probes
A probe is any sort of small space ship that is unmanned.
On Star Trek: The Next Generation, a typical Galaxy class cruiser has a supply of probes which can be launched to carry out various tasks. Probes have similar capabilities with the major differences being in speed/range and whether they have the ability to land on a planet.
Probes can be given target co-ordinates – which they travel to and hold position, or they can be given a target object (Ship, Planet etc.) and instructed to follow at a specified range. Each probe can be set for active scanning, which will provide more details but will make them highly visible to other ships, or passive mode which will make them very hard to detect (if they are not at warp). In passive mode, the sensors have an operational range of 1 light year but can only detect items that generate energy in the form of heat, radio waves or radiation. The active mode operates in exactly the same way as the starship's Short Range Active Sensors.
The starship retains control of the probes after they have launched and can re-direct them and change their active/passive scanning modes.
The different types of probes are described below. Normally the starship has a standard compliment of 10 of each type of probe.
Class 1 Probe: This probe has a range of 200,000km and can travel at half the speed of light.
Class 2 Probe: This probe has a range of 400,000km and can travel at 0.75 the speed of light.
Class 3 Probe: This probe is suitable for landing on and scanning planets (including gas giants). It has a range of 10,000km and can travel at 0.1 the speed of light.
Class 4 Probe: This probe has a range of 3,500,000km and is capable of traveling at 0.75 the speed of light. It also has light shielding, giving it some protection from enemy attack.
Class 5 Probe: This probe is capable of Warp 2 and has a 200 year operational life span. It does not have shields, but does have low observability hull plating, making it difficult to spot on scanners (assuming it is not at warp). It is also capable of planetary landing.
Class 6 Probe: This is a warning buoy designed to alert other starships of dangers. It has a range of 10,000km and can travel at 0.1 the speed of light.
Class 7 Probe: This probe is capable of travelling at warp 8 for 14 days. As such it is used for long range reconnaissance.
Class 8 Probe: This probe is capable of travelling at Warp 9 for up to 6.5 hours.
Class 9 Probe: This is a log buoy probe. This is the equivalent of the black box recorder on a plane – and is usually launched right before the imminent destruction of the ship. It is very heavily armoured to protect the probe during the destruction of a starship. They can travel at warp 8 for 14 days and will automatically set a course for the nearest starbase.
All of the probes apart from the class 9 require to be launched from the forward torpedo tube.