Where to Find the Hand Drill in ARC Raiders
You can find the Hand Drill in ARC Raiders in the small locker room just south of the Rail Yard on Pendola Pass. In one run, two of those lockers each held a Hand Drill, and the Outpost Level 3 upgrade needs three of them.
The team here at MetaForge ran this route on Pendola Pass, a new map added in the Frozen Trail 2.0 update on October 8, 2026. It has been the most consistent map for Outpost materials in our runs.
The MetaForge Hand Drill database page does not list precise spawn locations yet, so this route comes from our own run rather than a confirmed spawn table. Queue into Pendola Pass and follow the steps below to loot it yourself.
How to Loot the Rail Yard Locker Room
The route is a short walk once you reach the Rail Yard. Follow these steps in order so ARC does not interrupt you while you loot.
- Reach the Rail Yard: Queue into Pendola Pass and head to the Rail Yard, then continue to the small room just south of it. Check your spawn point on the map first so you take the shortest route.
- Shoot the camera: Destroy the small camera outside the room before you enter. This stops it from attracting ARC while you loot.
- Go through the doors: Head through the doors into the room. Another Raider was fighting a Shredder below during our run, so keep an eye on your surroundings.
- Open the lockers one at a time: Check every locker, because not all of them hold loot and one of ours was empty. The first locker we opened held a Hand Drill and Steel Cables.
- Clear the tick: Shoot the little
Tick nearby before it reaches you. Then carry on with the remaining lockers. - Finish the room: Our second Hand Drill was in a later locker, and more Steel Cables turned up along the way. Keep opening lockers until the room is clear.
- Extract: Leave the map and bring your Hand Drills back to your stash.
Other Hand Drill Locations on Pendola Pass
The MetaForge database tags the Hand Drill as Mechanical and Industrial, but it does not name specific maps or containers yet. The only spot we have confirmed in-game is the Rail Yard locker room.
The Observatory is the other Pendola Pass area worth knowing, and Embark’s Frozen Trail content preview lists it as part of the map. We have found Outpost upgrade and furniture materials there in our runs, but we have not confirmed Hand Drills there (TBC).
Use the ARC Raiders Interactive Map to compare your spawn point with each spot, and check the ARC Raiders Event Timers to see which map conditions are active, keeping in mind that both tools give estimates and do not guarantee an identical outcome.
| Location | Hand Drill status | What we found | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rail Yard locker room | Confirmed in our run | 2 Hand Drills and Steel Cables in the lockers | You spawn closer to the Rail Yard |
| Observatory | TBC | Outpost upgrade and furniture materials | You spawn near it and want a wider mix of Outpost materials |
Example Scenario (hypothetical): You spawn far from the Observatory and the Rail Yard is the shorter walk. Skip the long trip and head to the locker room instead of crossing the whole map.
What the Hand Drill is Used For
The Hand Drill is a Rare Topside Material, and its confirmed use is the Outpost upgrade: MetaForge lists three Hand Drills for Outpost Level 3. It also appears in the 
Anvil I recipe, which needs three, and it can be recycled or salvaged into other materials.
We have not found a furniture recipe that requires the Hand Drill, so there is no reason to hold drills back for decorating.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Category | Topside Material |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Weight | 0.5 kg |
| Stack size | 3 |
| Value | 640 Raider Coins |
| Tags | Mechanical, Industrial |
Open the Needed Items page before each run to check how many Hand Drills you still need for your upgrade.
Best Loadout for Farming Hand Drills
A simple kit covers this route: a 
Renegade with medium ammo, a medium shield, and a 
Snap Hook. This is the setup we ran for the locker room.
- Weapon: We brought the Renegade with medium ammo for any ARC we met on the way.
- Shield: A medium shield gives you a buffer if another Raider is nearby, as one was fighting the
Shredder below during our run. - Snap Hook: We bring one to reach high places quickly, although the locker room route did not need it.
Load this kit before you queue into Pendola Pass, then head straight for the Rail Yard.
Farming the Spot Repeatedly
If a run leaves you short of three Hand Drills, repeat the same route on your next ARC Raiders raid. We have not confirmed a drop rate for these lockers, so treat the room as a dependable starting point rather than a guaranteed source (TBC).
Keep running it until your stash holds three Hand Drills, then take them to your Outpost upgrade.
Should You Keep, Recycle, or Sell Hand Drills
Keep three Hand Drills until you finish the Outpost Level 3 upgrade, then decide what to do with any extras. Per the MetaForge database, recycling one gives 1 
Mechanical Components and salvaging one gives 2 
Metal Parts.
Example Scenario (hypothetical): You hold seven Hand Drills. Keep three for the Outpost upgrade and three more if you plan to craft Anvil I, then recycle or salvage the last one.
Once your upgrade is covered, recycle or salvage the rest based on which material your next craft needs.
Your Outpost Level 3 Upgrade Starts at the Rail Yard
Head to the Rail Yard locker room on your next Pendola Pass raid, loot the lockers, and extract with the Hand Drills for your Outpost Level 2 to 3 upgrade.
Once the upgrade is done, check what the Outpost still needs and point your next Pendola Pass raids at those materials. The Observatory is the place to test next, since we have found other Outpost materials there.
FAQs
How do I unlock the Outpost in ARC Raiders before using Hand Drills?
You unlock the Outpost in ARC Raiders by completing its unlock project, which also gives you access to the research station. The first step, Research Topside Living Conditions, requires a photo of a farmland house. Finish that project first, then start farming Hand Drills for your next Outpost upgrade.
Where do I get the Camera for the Outpost project in ARC Raiders?
Embark’s patch notes list three ways to get the Camera: buy it at Shani’s, craft it at the Workbench, or find it Topside. You need it for the farmland house photo that starts the Outpost project, so pick one up before you queue into a raid.
What do I unlock by upgrading the Outpost in ARC Raiders?
Embark’s patch notes state that upgrading the Outpost unlocks 22 Furniture Designs, and that Celeste now trades new materials for crafting furniture. The notes do not list the Hand Drill among those materials. Open the in-game Outpost menu to see which designs you have unlocked.
Does loot on Pendola Pass change between raids?
Yes, in Dynamic Loot Zones. Embark’s 2.0 patch notes say these zones are currently exclusive to Pendola Pass and keep their inherent loot type, but their loot value can vary between raids. We have not confirmed whether the Rail Yard locker room is one (TBC), so check it every run.
What do I need to craft Anvil I in ARC Raiders?
You need 2 
Advanced Mechanical Components, 3 
Heavy Gun Parts, 3 Hand Drills, and the 
Anvil Blueprint to craft Anvil I at Gunsmith Level 1. Anvil I is a Rare hand cannon that fires Heavy Ammo. Gather all three Hand Drills before you head to the Gunsmith.
