Best Ships For Exploration In Elite Dangerous

Exploration is one of the many activities players can spend their time doing in Elite Dangerous. The game’s galaxy is huge with lots of sights to see and places to visit. As a result, many players simply enjoy traipsing around the universe seeing what they can find in this simulation game.

The nature of this activity requires players to be in a ship capable of handling long-distance travel, carrying everything they need for the trip, and helping them survive the journey. For players looking to get into travel or need to upgrade to something a little better, here are the best exploration ships according to the fanbase.

Updated November 26, 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam: As 2024 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Elite series, the game has made it its mission to stun fans with a feature-packed roadmap for the rest of the year. With November 2024 at its close, players can get into Elite Dangerous: Ascendancy in a more proactive fashion as the game’s Powerplay 2.0 rework can help players get into the galaxy’s political scene in more unique ways.

However, for fans who want to just enjoy the view throughout the rest of the galaxy, they may want to gear up the best ships for exploration – the for-beginner options of which include one of the game’s best trading vessels, combat-exploration hybrids, and a decent exploration starter.

26 Type-9 Heavy

Less About Speed, More About The Journey

Fans looking for a reliable newcomer exploration ship can’t go wrong using the Type-9 Heavy for the first time – especially if the goal is to get used to traveling long distances while saving up for a much better ship. Although the Type-9 Heavy is one of the slowest ships in the game, this ship’s capability of mounting decent firepower can allow it to defend itself from enemy ships when caught unawares.

Another interesting aspect of the Type-9 Heavy is its position as a trading ship, boasting the second-best cargo capacity among the game’s ships. When outfitted with a Class 5 Shield Generator, the Type-9 Heavy becomes the best trading ship with a shield – perfect for players who want to earn on the side while navigating their way across star systems. Its massive fuel tank means the Type-9 Heavy can travel long distances before having to refuel, which can serve as training for players to plot their trips more efficiently.

25 Cobra Mk4

A Combat-Oriented Alternative To The Mk3

Despite its nature as a combat vessel, the Cobra Mk4 in Elite Dangerous 4 gameplay offers players a decent balance of cargo space, shielding, and offensive capabilities. Although its maneuverability could use some work, the Cobra Mk4’s decent defenses can allow it to take damage while repositioning for a counter-offensive or a quick escape. Not only that, but the Cobra Mk4 having the highest cargo capacity among small ships makes it a decent trader to earn towards better exploration ships while still boasting firepower to defend from enemy attackers.

While the Cobra Mk4 isn’t the best exploration ship option for players due to its lower jump range, its variety of internal component options can allow the newcomer explorer to slowly acquaint themselves with using limited resources to focus on their travels. However, the Cobra Mk4’s nature as more of a combat ship means the Cobra Mk3 is a better option for more straightforward exploration.

24 Viper Mk4

A More Aggressive Cobra Mk3 Rival

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Due to its classification as a heavy combat craft, the Viper Mk4 improves upon the Viper Mk3 in terms of overall ship combat capabilities, boasting stronger shields, more defensible hulls, and better management of weapon systems for stronger combat performance. Its nimble nature allows the Viper Mk4 to outmaneuver its opponents – perfect for players who need to escape enemies they encounter using their travels.

Not only that, the Viper Mk4’s decent maximum cargo size makes it a decent trading ship and basic mining vessel – perfect for players just getting used to Elite Dangerous gameplay. Moreover, its decent jump range can make it quite the beginner explorer ship suited for short-range travels. Players who want to get into exploration and have enough firepower to take on enemies can use the Viper Mk4 for their needs.

23 Diamondback Explorer

A Small Ship That Can Take On Combat, Exploration Roles

Among the best beginner-type exploration ships players can take with them in their Elite Dangerous travels, the Diamondback Explorer is likely among their best options for its versatility. The Explorer has better heat management and clustered hardpoint placement that provides it with much-needed durability in combat while at the same time having an above-average jump range for those who want to tour star systems with relative ease.

Its limited space means players who want to focus on exploration will need to maximize the Explorer for this purpose. Thankfully, its decent Class 5 Frame Shift Drive and large Fuel Tank can get the job done. Its decent defenses mean players can get into enemy territory and still manage to defend themselves or take on long-distance travel. While not as potent as heavy hitters like the Anaconda in terms of jump efficiency, the Diamondback Explorer is an affordable entry-level option for hardcore exploration.

22 Keelback

A Decent Choice For Casual Exploration

Being a combat freighter, the Keelback is armed for self-sustaining cargo hauling. While its combat capabilities are average at best, the Keelback also suffers from minimal maneuverability and subpar speed. If only for pure exploration, the Keelback may not be the obvious choice for its price range. However, outfitting their Keelback for an exploration build might be worth the shot for players enjoying Elite Dangerous who want to try casually exploring without sacrificing other parts of their gameplay.

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Stats-wise, the Keelback’s Fuel Scoop capacity and handling in supercruise and normal environments can make it a workable option for exploring different parts of space. While its Jump Range is considered decent, modifying the right ships, such as the Type-6, the Dolphin, and even the Asp-X, can leave the Keelback in the dust. This is why the Keelback’s travel potential may be best used for core mining instead of hard exploration.

21 Diamondback Scout

Affordable And Nimble Ship With A Decent View

Among ships in Elite Dangerous gameplay, the Diamondback Scout is primarily a compact but nimble combat ship. Despite its poor durability, the Diamondback Scout compensates with mobility, allowing it to dodge attacks. Its capability to outmaneuver larger ships makes it a decent choice for stealth tactics, although its small internals mean it’s not great for high-level play. However, its affordable nature and high base jump range can make it a workable exploration ship.

Despite its rather small nature and the existence of more efficient exploration ships, the Diamondback Scout is a must-try for players who are still getting the hang of exploration. Its 56-ish LY jump range performs decently enough when combined with the ship’s shields, an SRV, and a better view than heavy hitters such as the Anaconda. Players also praise the Diamond Scout for generating little heat during scoops, which can alleviate maintenance woes for players.

20 Adder

A Cheap Starter While Waiting On A Cobra

The multipurpose nature of the Adder can make it one of the most versatile ships players can encounter in Elite Dangerous, allowing them to transform it into a combat ship or a cargo ship on a whim. Its ease of handling can make it ideal for new commanders, although it’s only the best option for players until they unlock the more efficient Cobra Mk3.

The affordability of the Adder can make it a popular beginner explorer, especially for players who prioritize planet discovery instead of gunning for extremely faraway journeys. The Adder’s versatility can help it run away from hostiles and other aggressive NPCs, which can be minimal in unexplored space. Regarding value for buck, upgrading a Hauler or waiting out on a Cobra seems to be a more practical choice. However, for players who already have an Adder, this ship can perform decently for exploration playthroughs.

19 Imperial Courier

Decent Ship For Daily, Short-Range Trips

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The small size of the Imperial Courier can make it a vicious beast in interstellar combat, boasting better shielding without sacrificing evasive potential and overall firepower. Its lightweight nature does mean the Imperial Courier lacks the internal space needed for powerful gear, which can challenge players who want to maximize the ship for their long-ranged exploration endeavors unless heavily tweaked. At base, however, the Imperial Courier remains fun to maneuver, given its decent Jump Range and potential for modification.

With an FSD, the Imperial Courier can barely touch 60LY for its Jump Range, and equipping it with a shield and some lightweight missiles will enable players to clear threats on the ground if they need to land the ship. While not suitable for long-range trips, the Imperial Courier’s decent speed makes it an ideal companion for close-range exploration, exobiology, and daily traveling.

18 Hauler

Cheap Option For Those Who Can Settle For Low Performance

Despite its lack of technical prowess, the rather cheap but maneuverable nature of the Hauler makes it an ideal exploration ship simply for its accessibility. Players enjoying their Elite Dangerous playthrough could rely on the Hauler to get most of their jobs done while they earn money to save up for something more efficient.

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Although the Hauler does have room for an SRV Hangar, the 5LY-range cost might be a dealbreaker for players. Its small frame only allows it to carry lower-level Fuel Scoops and Fuel Tanks, making overall travel rather slow. While its base stats make it a decent bubble-hopper, the Hauler suffers performance issues in the long haul as players expect more trips and more resource gatherings, but they hopefully have moved on from the Hauler by then.

17 Federal Corvette

Decent Handling & Internals For Its Size With Combat-Ready Components For Surprise Incursions

Players who want a ship that remains combat-ready despite its exploration potential could appreciate the Federal Corvette. It belongs to the Combat Type ship class, meaning it’s designed to handle prolonged aggressive incursions compared to other exploration ships designed for speed.

At its core, the Federal Corvette boasts decent internal systems and manageable handling for a ship its size. Given its combat-heavy focus, its jump range suffers from being in the higher-40s range. However, considering how some exploration trips might send players contending with malicious forces, being combat-ready with some form of defensive armament could make the Federal Corvette a decent choice.

16 Federal Assault Ship

Average Jump Range Still Makes It The Best Among Federal Military Ships

The Federal Assault Ship is one of the more unique options on this list because it’s not designed for exploration. It doesn’t have the same internal space to carry everything and the low-end jump range is 30LY. The perk of this vessel as an exploration ship is it can handle any trouble it comes across. This makes it an ideal ship for exploring near the bubble where players in this MMORPG are likely to be waiting in an ambush. If the player needs to go long-range it is not a great ship, but for high-risk, short-range travel it’s great.

The Federal Assault Ship can be purchased at the Jameson Memorial with the standard 10% discount. It is also always located at the i Sola Prospect with a 20% surcharge. The base cost is a relatively cheap 19,814,210 Credits.

15 Imperial Cutter

Manageable Jump Range With Slow Steering, Slight Drifting Quirks

Players who want to travel in style in their Elite Dangerous gameplay can appreciate the visual flair of the Imperial Cutter. Being a Multipurpose Ship, the Imperial Cutter isn’t sensitive to slight changes in movement, and its optional slots can encourage players to fit it with whatever extra armaments and materials they might need in their journey.

However, players who want to use the Imperial Cutter solely for exploration might not appreciate the view as much with its more condensed appearance. While its visibility is still respectable for its ship class, the Clipper remains more visually “open” in terms of vantage points.

14 Cobra MkIII

Iconic Elite Ship With Decent Thrusters But So-So Jump Range

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Beginners who are just exploring their Elite Dangerous gameplay may want to try a ship that fits the jack-of-all-trades category, which is something the Cobra MkIII can pull off. Its decent Fuel Tank despite its small frame gives it the capacity to give a few jumps before needing to refuel, making it a decent multipurpose ship for everyday tasks such as trading and exploration.

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However, the Cobra MkIII isn’t suitable for long-term exploration due to its small jump range. In turn, the Cobra MkIII makes for a decent middle ground for players still gauging what kind of endgame they want to enjoy in Elite Dangerous and then transitioning to a more optimal ship from there.

13 Beluga Liner

Decent Maneuverability For Its Size With Many Internal Slots For Other Features

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What makes the Beluga Liner appealing as an exploration ship is the fact that it has enough space to bring whatever the player wants to take with them. It’s a bit slow, but it does handle decently enough, and few can argue with a 40 to 50LY jump range. Some players like the fact that it can also equip a Fighter Hangar. While it’s not an ideal combat ship, it can hold its own long enough to get to safety. What many players like about the Beluga is its big, unobstructed view in the cockpit.

The Beluga Liner can be found at Jameson Memorial with a 10% discount. It can also be bought at i Sola Prospect with a 20% surcharge. Its base cost is 84,532,780 Credits.

12 Alliance Chieftain

The Best Jumper Among Alliance Mediums But Limited In Offerings

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Despite its turtle-like appearance, the Alliance Chieftain can pack quite a punch when used to its fullest extent as a Combat Ship. While retrofitting it as an exploration vessel may hinder the Alliance Chieftain with its lack of internal components, the ship can still be a player’s dependable asset with the right build.

At its core, the Alliance Chieftain boasts the best jump range among the medium ships of the Alliance. Players out for a certain aesthetic or fans of the Alliance line of ships, in general, may want to grab the Chieftain if they have any plans of transitioning the ship to an exploration role.

11 Imperial Clipper

Mid-Jump Range Compensated By Fastest Potential Scooping Speed Among Ships

The Imperial Clipper is both a popular and notorious ship. Many pilots like the excellent speed and maneuverability that come with flying this piece of art. It can handle long-range jumps and does well at getting players from point A to point B quickly. The downsides are little things like a bright cockpit interface, a wide build that can make manual docking annoying, and terrible combat potential. It’s cheap and it’ll do the job which is why it makes the list, but players should strongly consider upgrading quickly.

The Imperial Clipper is always available at the Jameson Memorial station in Shinrarta Dezhra with a 10% discount. It can also be obtained at the i Sola Prospect in Brestla with a 20% surcharge. Its base cost is 22,295,860 Credits.

10 Python

Decent Internals With Mid But Tolerable Performance

The Python is not meant to be an explorer ship, but it does a fantastic job when outfitted for it. It has a great long jump range and even when fully equipped has the space for weapons and shields. In fact, the Python is scrappy enough to handle many combat situations. Players wanting to use exploration as a means to hunt down targets would be well advised to give this ship a try. Power management will be an issue and the cockpit layout is a bit strange, but it’s a good choice.

The Python appears in various stations now and then but consistently in two places. Jameson Memorial has one with a 10% discount and i Sola Prospect will offer one with a 20% surcharge. It’ll cost players 56,978,180 Credits to buy.

9 Type-7 Transporter

Python Alternative But With Certain Limitations To Visibility

Despite its bulky appearance, the Type-7 Transporter as a transportation vehicle prides itself in having a similar internal modular frame as the Python, albeit with a much-larger optional slot. Surprisingly for its status as a cargo ship, too, is the ship’s decent maneuverability and handling, make it a dependable exploration ship in both slow trips and crucial situations.

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While its jump speed isn’t as impressive, players who want to transport other vessels or explore to mine resources could use the Type-7 Transporter for a more consistent experience. This is especially the case in interstellar trips that won’t reach as far as Colonia – but even then the Type-7 Transporter could be a patient player’s companion for such a long-distance incursion.

8 Asp Scout

Not As Optimal For Deep Space Encounters, But Excellent For Interplanetary Adventures

While certainly no Asp Explorer, the Asp Scout still boasts remarkable speed and maneuverability as associated with its manufacturer. The Asp Scout’s performance is only hindered by its lower-class FSD, which in itself is still just one class lower than the Explorer’s. However, the Asp Scout’s handling makes it a famous short-range exploration craft, especially for players who want to explore specific planets but not within necessarily too distant ranges.

Even then, players can take the Asp Scout out for a spin if they want to fully appreciate its flight-handling characteristics. The Asp Scout will feel much lighter to control compared to the Asp Explorer, although the latter does have the advantage of a more efficient jump process.

7 Type-6 Transporter

Average Jump Performer With Decent Maneuverability

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At first glance, the Type-6 Transporter and its classification as a Freighter make it more of a beginner Elite Dangerous trading ship, making it unideal for strenuous exploration duties. However, the Type-6 Transporter may surprise players should they try stripping it down and upgrading its FSD, as this gives the Type-6 jump ranges similar to that the of Asp.

Given the chance, the Type-6 Transporter has quite a lot of internal slots that players can tinker with for their ideal exploration loadout. However, the only dealbreakers here would be the extensive customization the Transporter needs to be optimal for exploration, as well as a price point that’s much higher than the similarly-performing Cobra MkIII.