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Marker Buoy

Marker buoys are used to delineate territory and also guide ships to and from "shipping lanes" or other travel routes.  Depending on the software and components installed in a buoy they can act as message relays, warning beacons, data-drops and a myriad of other purposes. It's worth tuning into local ones to see what information they are broadcasting.

For training missions (and also races) in the ArcNebula Universe they can be deployed to mark the course or objectives that a pilot must pay attention to. (Marker Buoys of this nature are typically yellow in colour - although it does vary from system to system.)

Messages can be received from Buoys by tuning to their frequency, or simply by observing the colour of their pulse. Different regulations apply to colour coding in different planet systems and cultures. It is wise to learn them. The same applies to any Buoy's broadcast frequency. Although some commonly agreed colours and frequencies are used throughout the known system and most reasonable ship computers tune to them automatically.

Hacking, moving or otherwise tampering with, Buoys that are not your property is an offence in most systems.

Recovering damaged or obsolete buoys can be a reasonably lucrative occupation, as can stealing fully operational ones!