+rep me pls

I too would like to know how to optimize my ship designs to get the best out of these mining and salvaging A.I.

just started the game. do you guys use carriers for mining drones? right now i'm still doing every thing manually

If you have *just* started you won't have access to on-board hangars for a few levels. You can use a separate ship, if you have equipped it with a Captain, that you can command remotely. I refer you to the tutorial with the 'Adventurer' for that introduction. This is highly recommended, if not a requirement, to keep your sanity somewhat intact ... or at least not worsening it from whatever its current state may be. :)

When you get to the level where mining fighters may be equipped on a ship, that ship may be commanded remotely also, and will use those fighters to mine without further input than the (by then) normal 'Mine Asteroid' command. It is a very effective harvesting scheme.

As a general rule, have your remote mining ships operate in a different sector than you are playing in. Pirates and aliens will tend to focus on the sector you are. If you are in the same sector as your mining ship though, they will target that ship and it will keep on mindlessly mining while they do. (You equip a Captain to enable remote commands, but it turns out that the Captains aren't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer... )

Keep your ship, turrets and fighters updated for level and proficiency as you go.

Enjoy!