Geth Dropship

A Geth Dropship is a large, insect-like frigate capable of carrying large numbers of geth. They are designed to literally drop geth units from overhead, often dropping Geth Armatures and Geth Colossi mid-flight. Geth Dropships also have a defensive role; they can power energy fields to block key strategic points, by latching onto the side of buildings through the use of three superstrong claws. These claws are nearly impervious to damage by conventional weapons, but have been destroyed in one case by an overly-charged hydraulic door.

The Geth Dropship is almost organic in design, looking like an oversized hornet or wasp without wings. In fact Geth Dropships have a similar design to Sovereign itself. This might be characteristic of synthetic design, or a deliberate homage to their 'god' by the geth.

As a geth ship, a dropship acts as a kind of "mobile platform" for geth programs. The ship itself is a sentient mechanism like the person-sized mobile platforms. If a dropship is damaged, it can transfer its programs to a smaller mobile platform to enact repairs, transferring the programs back once repairs are complete.

Little else is known about Geth Dropships. The closest Commander Shepard's team gets to one is on the Feros mission in the main campaign, but they have to attack one on Casbin in order to stop it dropping reinforcements. During an engagement, Geth Dropships will usually escape before being completely destroyed.

Geth Dropships were a key element of the attack on Feros. While one vessel remained anchored to the ExoGeni Corporation headquarters, other vessels began dropping geth units directly onto the top of the tower that was home to Zhu's Hope, and landing heavy units on the Prothean Skyway. A Geth Dropship - described as a troop ship - was also used on Virmire to send emergency reinforcements to the bomb site during Shepard's attack.

An entire fleet of geth ships surrounded Sovereign when it attacked the Citadel. During the assault, Shepard's team was forced to engage one on foot but got some cover from the Citadel's defence towers, allowing them to focus on the geth ground troops.

Depending on Shepard's choices, the commander can order the Fifth Fleet to engage the geth armada to save the Destiny Ascension. In this event, dozens of geth ships are destroyed.

A Geth Dropship also appears in Mass Effect 2, deploying troops on Corang and Haestrom. On the latter world, it also provides air support, using heavy artillery to kill several quarian marines and collapsing a pillar.

Trivia

 * It is easy to tell when a Geth Dropship is approaching by audio cues. Geth Dropship engines roar loudly, providing an early-warning.
 * According to The Art of Mass Effect, the profile of a Geth Dropship was inspired by the position a hornet takes when it is about to sting.
 * In the design galleries section for geth ships on the Mass Effect Platinum Hits and Limited Edition bonus disc, Casey Hudson identifies a design of geth cruisers similar to the design of dropships. The cruisers have a straighter and more elongated design, as well as a bank of what appear to be antennae on the dorsal ridge. The ships can possibly be seen in the Siege of the Citadel.