Drone Play 101
By: Teeter Object
A group of faceless rubber drones available for pleasure. Programming a willing submissive into a mindless drooling sex toy. Reduced to nothing but the function to serve.
What is a drone?
In the context of the animal kingdom, a drone most commonly refers to a male bee whose only purpose is to mate with the queen. They exist for no purpose other than to execute their function.
In the context of kink & roleplay, a drone (typically a submissive) exists solely to serve for the pleasure and enjoyment of another (typically the Dominant); the drone has given up all agency & identity in exchange for submission & service. Drone play is very close with Objectification/Dehumanization in a very pure form.
“Drone play is the absolution of the sense of self/identity for the sole purpose of fulfilling the need for service"
Okay, but Why?
What can you get out of drone play or objectification?
Many Dominants struggle with drone play because they miss the “human” connection and feedback that they would receive from their submissive or scene partner. Taking a step back to examine the scene, treating the drone like a “human” is missing the mark a bit. The drone is probably closer to a sex toy in the context of the scene. A Sir friend often refers to it as a “pleasure appliance”, which it believes encapsulates what drone play is all about.
As a Dominant, You will be awarded a very pure form of control, seeing someone melt into a submissive, malleable, “blank” headspace. Functionally, You can literally kick your feet up with a drone on all fours as Your footstool.
as a submissive drone or object, you can melt into your programming. shrug off the human needs, fears, & emotions to hyperfocus on service, and even feel a sense of accomplishment in serving a Dominant & executing your function properly.
Objectification is a Spectrum
On a scale from Human to object, drone play falls pretty close to object; becoming a drone is losing yourself & your identity to serve another purpose.
Usefulness vs decoration: on one end, for a drone this could look like, being furniture, or being a sex toy for your Dominant, or even being a sculpture or conversation piece kneeling in the corner.
Some individuals find that losing their identity sexy & arousing when tied to certain other aspects of roleplay, like degradation & dehumanization.
You can also incorporate drone play into your daily life, transcending a scene or sexual play. This could look like being programmed to make & bring your partner coffee every morning, with no exceptions or excuses; you are executing a function to serve someone else.
As much as it would be hot to have standardized “factory settings” for every drone, we are all different, so drone play can look different for everyone! Use what works for you & what YOU find hot!
Gear
We all have that vision in our head of uniformed robber drones eagerly waiting to serve, but in reality no gear is required for a drone play scene; plain-clothed, naked, or encased in rubber, focusing on service is the end result.
However, having the drone wear a mask, a uniform, or a full-enclosure rubber gimpsuit can actually help all parties in a scene get into the headspace
Sometimes, removing the senses can help a submissive get into drone headspace. Wearing something that makes you feel like a drone, such as putting on a rubber suit that dulls your other senses (or removes them entirely) can not only make you feel like a drone, but also helps you focus on service.
For example: Why would a drone need to see when their function is to be a set of holes? Removing the drone’s sight can be an exciting way to heighten a drone play scene.
Additionally, gear can also help the Dominant (non-drone) get in the headspace for a scene. Having the drone wear anything that removes individuality could allow for an easier transition for the Dominant to think of the drone less as an individual; they no longer see the drone’s face, tattoos, other identifiers etc.
Think about exploring Bondage in addition to or as an extension of drone roleplay. Restricting movement can be exciting in itself, but also can help the drone focus on serving their function. If you are going to incorporate Bondage in your scene, please do so safely!
Headspace
As referenced above, the way drone play differentiates itself from other forms of Dominant/submissive power exchange is the removal of individuality. Putting on a full-enclosure rubber gimp suit while stripping away the thoughts, needs, fears, and hopes of daily life can be incredibly fulfilling and incredibly hot.
Drone play often encompasses "programming" the submissive to execute a function, usually allowing for a hyperfocus on service and executing that function. This “programming” can be as simple as complex as you want to explore
As a drone, one way to slip into this focused headspace is to repeat your instructions as a mantra. This repetition allows you to maintain focus on your purpose in the scene.
Hypnosis can be combined with drone play as a fun way to “program” a set of instructions into the submissive. Drone hypno files exist online as something to explore, but as a safety measure, please listen to the files before you are in a suggestible headspace to ensure the recording is safe for you & your scene partner.
Punishment can be combined with drone play as well as a form of "reprogramming", by using impact play or other forms of consensual punishment to correct a drone’s “errors”.
Safety
Unfortunately while human bodies ARE very efficient machines, their maintenance looks a lot different than a production arm on an assembly line.
Human drones have physical limitations which should be discussed ahead of time during scene negotiation: standing or remaining still for long periods of time, certain uncomfortable positions (kneeling with a bad knee), medications, or asthma
Doms, please monitor & check in with your drones especially if they're deep in headspace in a potentially stressful position for long periods of time. A drone covered in a latex gimpsuit can make monitoring difficult. Check their body temperature, skin color (including lips!). Ensure everyone is hydrated, as rubber can get sweaty.
Additionally human drones & objects need to advocate for themselves and their safety. Even in headspace, check in with your body. If there’s any tingling or loss of sensation, or if anything is uncomfortable & painful which wasn’t discussed ahead of time, please use safe words to signal to your scene partner that things need to be adjusted or stopped.
Aftercare
For any scene, including drone play, hypnosis, and impact play, trust & communication is paramount.
For a drone, coming up out of that focused headspace can be a jarring experience. Human drones are still human, and humans have emotions. Emotions may come up either in a scene or afterwards as the drone is coming out of headspace, especially if they were suppressing their feelings during the scene. Please take the time to check in with your scene partner on how they are doing, and communicate any feelings or issues that need to be addressed.