The A Better Use quest in Arc Raiders sounds simple on paper:
“Call in a supply drop. Loot the supply drop.”
In practice?
It’s one of the most confusing early quests in the game — partly because the supply drop doesn’t look like a supply drop, and partly because you’re calling it in on a live PvPvE battlefield where every flare feels like you’re inviting half the server to your location.
This guide breaks down the quest step-by-step, shows exactly what the supply drop looks like (with screenshots), and covers all the problems players run into — because yes, most people walk right past the drop without recognizing it.
Common Player Questions About This Quest
If you landed here from Google, you probably asked something like:
- “Arc Raiders supply drop not showing?”
- “How do you find your supply drop?”
- “A Better Use quest bugged?”
- “What does the supply drop even look like?”
- “Arc Raiders supply drop icon disappeared”
- “I called in the drop but nothing fell?”
- “Why does my supply drop look like an Arc probe?”
- “Can other players steal my supply drop?”
These are all normal issues, and we’ll clear them up below.
How to Start the Quest
Talk to Tian Wen in your hub.
He gives you the mission A Better Use, which teaches you how to call in a supply drop on any surface map.
Recommended maps to do this on:
- Dam Battlegrounds (easiest)
- Buried City
- Space Port
- Blue Gate
Mission Objectives
There are only two steps:
- Request a Supply Drop from a Call Station
- Loot the Supply Drop once it hits the ground
Simple in theory; chaotic in execution.
How to Find a Call Station
Call Stations appear on your map as a tower icon with a radio-signal symbol.
Head to the marker and look for a tall metal terminal.
Interact with it to fire a flare and summon the drop.
How to Call in a Supply Drop
Use the Call Station → your character launches a bright orange flare into the sky.
Important:
The flare is visible to EVERYONE on the map.
It’s basically a giant GPS ping saying:
“Hey guys, free loot here! Come shoot me!”
So be ready for company.
What the Supply Drop Actually Looks Like (REAL Appearance)
This is the part that confuses the majority of players — including me on my first run.
The supply drop is NOT a crate.
It is NOT a box.
It is definitely NOT obvious loot.
✔ The supply drop is a tall, black, industrial metal pod that lands upright.
It looks like:
- A rocket-shaped cargo capsule
- A rusted industrial tower
- A metal probe stuck in the sand
- …or, let’s be honest:
a giant post-apocalyptic butt plug with a satellite dish on it
Why It’s Easy to Mistake It for an Arc Probe
This deserves its own section because so many players make the same mistake.
The supply drop looks very similar to Arc technology:
- Same height
- Same cylindrical metal shape
- Same rusted industrial texture
- Same “part of the map” vibe
- ZERO glowing loot indicator
So many people assume it’s an Arc probe, a sensor tower, or some kind of environmental prop.
That’s exactly what happened to you — and that’s normal.
In Arc Raiders, everything that looks dangerous is dangerous…
…except the thing you’re actually supposed to loot.
How to Track the Drop as It Falls
Another major issue players report:
“I called it in but nothing fell.”
Here’s why you missed it:
- The drop descends VERY quickly
- The balloon detaches high above
- The crate can drift 10–30 meters
- Trees or buildings might block it
- You were standing directly under it (bad angle)
Trick:
Don’t stare straight up.
Take a few steps back and angle your camera — you’ll see the silhouette dropping.
What to Do If You Can’t Find the Drop
This happens constantly.
If you can’t find it:
- Look for the tall black pod
- Check behind walls or cliffs
- Walk the drift radius (20–30 meters)
- Listen for the metal “thud” on impact
- Look for the dust cloud at its base
And yes — there’s a chance another player looted it already.
Bonus tip:
If your quest suddenly completes even though YOU didn’t call anything in…
you probably looted someone else’s drop.
This is extremely common.
PvP Danger & Solo Strategy
Everyone sees your flare.
Everyone hears the landing.
Everyone wants your drop.
If you’re solo:
- Immediately move to nearby cover
- Don’t sprint straight at the landing point
- Approach from a weird angle (never the front)
- Use smoke grenades to loot safely
- Pop a shield before opening
- Expect at least one third-party player
Extraction shooters are about paranoia, not honesty.
Quest Completion
The moment you interact with the pod and take the loot inside, the quest completes.
You can trigger completion by looting:
- Your own drop
- Someone else’s drop
- A drop you stumble on during a loot run
So if the quest auto-completed while you were minding your own business — yep, that’s normal.
These are the rewards after turning in the quest.
🔗 Useful Arc Raiders Guides (Recommended Next Reads)
- How to Level Scrappy Fast
- Tips & Tricks to Progress Faster
- My Full Review: ARC Raiders First Impressions
Final Thoughts
“A Better Use” is one of those Arc Raiders quests that teaches you by confusing you — and now that you know what a supply drop actually looks like, you’ll recognize them instantly.
