CCP has expressed very understandable reticence to implement any sort of player controlled drones. Turrets, which are essentially just immobile drones, would probably be included in this category.

I hope they find a way to do them fairly some time in the future, as they're a major defining characteristic of the Gallente in EVE, but I don't think we're going to see them any time in the next few years.

What about an lav that... Is a transformer?

Hop in and activate siege mode to turn it into a stationary small turret with a blast shield, providing you the protection of the vehicle's shield / armor (except from the back maybe).

Could be a bike that turns into a platform turret (turret unusable in vehicle mode).

We want transforming vehicles!

I think such small turrets will come in the future. Way back in the closed beta, there were two different turret installation types: small and large. The small turrets were the small turrets you see today on vehicles but on small pads where the player was almost fully exposed during operation.

The large turrets had their own different platform from today. It was almost like a tiny outpost you could walk onto. Operators were more exposed though compared to the current turret base that offers 90 degree protection.

That installations feature that you currently see will see use!

I believe a deployable scanner would better suit this request. You see any red dot within X radius. Max active 1. More reliable while less op

The problem I see with your idea is its too easy to exploit by placing over a known spawn location

possible stats/application

Deployable Auto-turret
-equipment slot
-AI controlled only, no human control
- once its deployed its deployed, just like hives and uplinks
-should pump out AR equivilant damage, enough to discourage an attack, but not completely prevent one
-mid range, small arc of fire, limited elevation/depression
-possible variants (ie. blaster, autocannon, pulse laser, missile) different variants have different ranges/damage types

Example-

Blaster turret (Gallente)

RoF - 750 rpm
Damage - 40? (im compensating for the inability to apply damage mods and a lack of a profiency skill)
Range - 30 meters
Arc/elevation of fire - 45 Degrees
Shield/Armor - 150/200
Shield regen - 15hp/sec
Scan res - 50
Scan Profile - 55


again, this is only an idea for a blaster variant, other types would have slightly different stats to acomidate racial variations.