Electromagnetic Storm run on Dam Battlegrounds used to farm a rare ARC component

FarmingDam BattlegroundsJan 6, 2026

Where to Find Surveyor Vaults in ARC Raiders (Storm Courier Farm)

Surveyor Vaults are a progression bottleneck: you need several for quest progression and key upgrades, but hunting ARC Surveyors for drops is slow and punishing — especially solo. The most consistent approach is to loot ARC Couriers during the Electromagnetic Storm on Dam Battlegrounds.

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Best map

Dam Battlegrounds (Scrapyard + Old Battleground loop)

Best event

Electromagnetic Storm (spawns many ARC Couriers)

Primary source

ARC Couriers (breach + loot for Surveyor Vaults)

Total needed

6 Surveyor Vaults (Mixed Signals + Medical Lab Lv. 3)

Solo-friendly

Yes — low combat, repeatable, ammo-efficient

Backup method

Destroy ARC Surveyors (slow, risky, contested)

If you only want the fastest Surveyor Vaults loop: queue Dam Battlegrounds during an Electromagnetic Storm, sweep Scrapyard → Old Battleground for ARC Couriers, loot until you hit Surveyor Vaults, then extract.

Why you need Surveyor Vaults

Surveyor Vaults matter because the game asks for a stack, not a lucky one-off. One Surveyor Vault is used for the Mixed Signals quest, and you need more for workshop progression — most notably a Medical Lab upgrade that demands several Surveyor Vaults alongside other medical components.

Surveyor Vault item card used for Mixed Signals and Medical Lab upgrades

Treat this as a planned farming target, not an RNG drop.

That’s why efficient routes are so valuable: a reliable farm is faster than roaming the entire map hoping an ARC Surveyor shows up, then hoping it drops what you need.

If you are also working on other upgrades, pair this route with our medical component guide:Rusted Shut Medical Kit farming.

Surveyor Vault shown as a rare ARC component drop — Surveyor Vaults are rare, so you want a method that creates many loot rolls per run.

Why not hunt ARC Surveyors directly

Yes, Vaults can drop from destroying ARC Surveyors. In practice, farming this way is inefficient: Surveyors are hard to locate on demand, take time and ammo to bring down, and often pull other Raiders to your position. If you are solo, a Surveyor fight can turn into an ambush fast.

Think in terms of attempts per hour. ARC Couriers during the storm give you many fast rolls at Vaults, while chasing Surveyors gives you fewer, riskier rolls.

Best method: Electromagnetic Storm event

The Electromagnetic Storm changes ARC spawns, and the big win is density: more ARC Couriers means more breaches, more loot windows, and more chances per raid. The goal is simple — use the storm to create a high-volume farm loop that avoids unnecessary combat.

Dam Battlegrounds route line highlighting Scrapyard and Old Battleground courier sweep — During an Electromagnetic Storm, focus the lower-left Dam Battlegrounds loop (Scrapyard → Old Battleground).

Step 1: Load into Dam Battlegrounds during the storm

Queue Dam Battlegrounds when the Electromagnetic Storm is active. You do not need a heavy kit for this farm: the route is about movement, awareness, and quick extracts after you secure Surveyor Vaults.

Recommended loadout mindset

Lightweight kit: free loadout or minimal custom build to keep stamina high.
Utility first: heals + a quiet option so you can disengage and extract.
Inventory discipline: ignore bulky loot until you hit a Vault.

Route objective

Start moving toward the lower-left side of the map — Scrapyard and Old Battleground are the anchor zones for storm ARC Courier spawns and keep your runs consistent.

Step 2: Locate and loot ARC Couriers

Open your map often. During the storm, ARC Couriers appear as distant icons, and you will frequently spot a black-smoke marker in the direction of a Courier. When you find one, approach carefully, breach it open, then loot quickly for Surveyor Vaults.

Black smoke marker used to spot an ARC Courier position — Black smoke is a strong visual cue; rotate to it and scan for Raiders before breaching.

Breaching an ARC Courier during an Electromagnetic Storm for loot rolls — Each breach is another chance at Surveyor Vaults — keep the loop tight and keep moving.

Extra value: Courier loot can include other high-demand ARC components. Keep the Vault as the main target, but watch for upgrades you still need.

Step 3: Manage the storm and extract safely

While you farm Vaults, don’t forget the storm itself. Stay mobile, respect electrical shocks, and avoid drawn-out fights — the best runs are short, repeatable, and end with a clean extract once you secure a Vault.

Extracting after securing a valuable ARC component from an ARC Courier — Once you hit Surveyor Vaults, extract — consistency beats one long risky raid.

Rule of thumb: after you loot a Courier, open your map again. New ARC Couriers often spawn nearby during the Electromagnetic Storm, keeping your chain alive.

Final tips for consistent farming

Surveyor Vaults farming is a patience game. The storm method is the most consistent because it maximizes your number of Courier loot rolls per hour.

Skip already-looted Couriers. If a Courier is breached, don’t waste time — rotate to the next marker to keep Surveyor Vaults attempts high.
Extract early when you hit a Vault. The fastest way to finish all Surveyor Vaults is to bank progress, then re-queue another storm.
Play the edges. The Scrapyard / Old Battleground loop keeps you moving and reduces the number of angles Raiders can hold.
Optimize repeats, not hero runs. Short runs beat clearing the entire map when your goal is Vaults.

Need more targets after Surveyor Vaults?

Check the guides hub for other bottleneck items and quick loops that stack well with Dam runs.

Guides hub Loot priorities Recycling guide

FAQ

How many Surveyor Vaults do I need?

Plan for six total if you want full progression (Mixed Signals plus a key Medical Lab upgrade).

Can Surveyor Vaults drop from ARC Surveyors?

Yes, but it is slower and riskier than storm Courier farming. If your goal is Surveyor Vaults, Couriers give you better attempts-per-hour.

What if I miss the Electromagnetic Storm?

Use the next storm window and run multiple short raids. This farm is about repeatability; forcing non-storm runs usually costs time.

Should I fight players while farming Surveyor Vaults?

Only when you have to. Your advantage is speed: breach, loot, reposition, and extract once you secure Surveyor Vaults.