# Ice Harvesting Skills for Max Drone Cycle Times? **URL:** \ **Category:** Skill Discussion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2018, 12:34pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263 "2018-04-17T12:34:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Harkon\_Tsero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/harkon_tsero/32/65354_2.png) [@Harkon\_Tsero](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Harkon_Tsero)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:34pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/1 "2018-04-17T12:34:11Z")
Hey guys - I used to play EVE quite a bit, maybe 5 years ago, then took a break. I am back to playing again and I’ve decided ice mining is really what’s fun for me these days. Anyway I’ll get to the point. I prefer to ice mine solo, in an Orca (mostly for the large ore bay and no need to keep going back and forth from the field to the station). So, I am using an Ice Harvesting II drone. I always Approach and park next to the asteroid, etc. **My issue is this:** I can’t seem to break 88.88 seconds on my Activation Time / duration. I was watching a video by delonewolf and he got his down to 55 seconds, somehow. I know i can use an Augmented drone to get that down to 83 seconds (appx), but for various reasons I don’t want to use a 100mil isk drone. I also have the mid-range Yeti implant (IH-1003) for the 3% cycle bonus (the more expensive one is… too expensive lol). I have the following skills: Drones 5 Drone Navigation 5 Ice Harvesting Drone Operation 5 Ice Harvesting Drone Specialization 5 Mining Drone Specialization 4 Mining Drone Operation 5 Drone Avionics 4 Drone Interfacing 5 Is there anything else I can do to lower my cycle times? Thanks for any help or suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:41pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/2 "2018-04-17T12:41:55Z")
See “Improving Yield” in this article (I think this is what you are after). [https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Ice\_harvesting](https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Ice_harvesting) > [@](#): > > In contrast with ore mining, all ice mining modules mine exactly one unit (1000 m3) of ice per cycle; therefore, the only way to increase your mining efficiency is to decrease your modules’ cycle time. This can be done by training skills (see above), installing more advanced ice mining and mining upgrade modules, fitting Ice Harvester Accelerator rigs, flying more advanced ships (Exhumers instead of Mining Barges), or using implants (the IH-100x Inherent Implants ‘Yeti’ Ice Harvesting series). Additionally, if you are in a fleet, you can receive further bonuses through fleet boosts. So ming upgrade modules, rigs and implants. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Engraver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/dark_engraver/32/45178_2.png) [@Dark\_Engraver](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Dark_Engraver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:43pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/3 "2018-04-17T12:43:42Z")
Yes get a rorqual and ice excavators. ---
**Author:** ![Harkon\_Tsero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/harkon_tsero/32/65354_2.png) [@Harkon\_Tsero](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Harkon_Tsero)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:51pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/4 "2018-04-17T12:51:27Z")
Sorry - i should have put this in my OP, that I’m sticking to high sec mining for now. I have forgotten far too much about EVE to head into low or nullsec safely (or, EVE-safely lol). I also should have stated that my Orca has Large Drone Mining Augmenters in the rig slots. ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:57pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/5 "2018-04-17T12:57:13Z")
Have you tried using the Simulator in EVE? Or better yet, Pyfa? These can probably point you in the right direction where you may need to tweak your fit without costing you anything. ---
**Author:** ![Harkon\_Tsero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/harkon_tsero/32/65354_2.png) [@Harkon\_Tsero](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Harkon_Tsero)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:59pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/6 "2018-04-17T12:59:05Z")
I’ll give that a look Arthur - thanks for the feedback. ---
**Author:** ![Arthur\_Aihaken](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/arthur_aihaken/32/504104_2.png) [@Arthur\_Aihaken](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Arthur_Aihaken)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 1:02pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/7 "2018-04-17T13:02:05Z")
Sorry I wasn’t able to be of more help. The only other thing I could find on high-sec ice mining was what you might expect to face when you run into the roaming Russian ice mining bot fleets. ---
**Author:** ![Erethond](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/erethond/32/11049_2.png) [@Erethond](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Erethond)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/8 "2018-04-17T16:20:35Z")
Do you have Industrial Command Ship to 5? That makes a big difference (-10% cycle time per level). Also, the yeti implant is only useful when using mining lasers. It does not do anything for your ice mining drones. Nor do: Mining Drone Specialization 4 Mining Drone Operation 5 Drone Avionics 4 Drone Interfacing 5 ---
**Author:** ![Harkon\_Tsero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/harkon_tsero/32/65354_2.png) [@Harkon\_Tsero](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Harkon_Tsero)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 6:55pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/9 "2018-04-17T18:55:43Z")
Hey Erethond - thanks. No my ICS is only at Level I. I have som eextra SP though so I can bump that up. Damn, that’s a lotta SP for that skill. But, if it knocks off 30-40% at levels 3-4, then that’d be worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Harkon\_Tsero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/harkon_tsero/32/65354_2.png) [@Harkon\_Tsero](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Harkon_Tsero)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 7:16pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/10 "2018-04-17T19:16:01Z")
Wow! So I used up all my free SP to get that to Level 4 (Level V is like another 800k SP), and that alone took my cycle/activation times down from 88.88 seconds to 59 seconds!! I never would have known to do that, had you not suggested. In reading the skill description, it doesn’t say anything about that 10% per level decrease. So, thank you again!!! ---
**Author:** ![Erethond](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/erethond/32/11049_2.png) [@Erethond](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Erethond)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/11 "2018-04-18T03:55:06Z")
Glad to help. If you read the description of the orca, it’s one of the bonuses you get per level, amongst many many others. It is not in the skill description (nor should it be), it is a ship trait. Same way as combat ships give bonuses to their damage, the orca gives bonuses to it’s drones for mining (and other things). ---
**Author:** ![Harkon\_Tsero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/harkon_tsero/32/65354_2.png) [@Harkon\_Tsero](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Harkon_Tsero)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 11:56am UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/12 "2018-04-18T11:56:18Z")
My mistake… didnt even think to check ship descriptions… smh ---
**Author:** ![Divine\_Rule](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/divine_rule/32/406832_2.png) [@Divine\_Rule](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Divine_Rule)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2018, 3:31pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/13 "2018-07-02T15:31:58Z")
your missing the face he flys a orca and that cuts down duration ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/original/3X/4/1/41ec4921cbaca7a6f9ea556e7cc20018461eae5e.png) [@system](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/ice-harvesting-skills-for-max-drone-cycle-times/70263/14 "2018-09-30T15:32:02Z")
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