Editing Covenant drop pod

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{{Center|Were you looking for the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] equivalent used by [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper|ODSTs]], the [[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle|SOEIV]]?}}
{{Vehicle Infobox
|image=[[File:OIP_main.png|250px]]
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|height={{Convert|6|m|ft}}
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|complement=One passenger
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|role=Orbital insertion
|affiliation=[[Covenant]]
}}
The '''orbital insertion pod''' is a single-occupant high-altitude deployment vehicle used by the [[Covenant]]. Upon impact with the ground, the pod's hatch blasts open, revealing the interior and allowing the [[Sangheili]] inside to exit.

== Overview ==
When the Covenant conduct ground operations on a planets, they use orbital insertion pods to drop Sangheili to the planet's surface as shock troops. Use of these pods is very hazardous, and is reserved only for critical situations, or when a surprise attack is necessary. The vaguely coffin-shaped pods are small and cramped, with barely enough room for one Sangheili and his weapon, and there appear to be no restraints or other devices inside, save for a control panel in the hatch, which may be used by the occupant to steer the pod. Upon landing, the front of the pod blows off to allow exit.

There are several variants of the insertion pod; one is cylindrical, with two tapered, slightly angular ends, while the other is bulkier and ovoid-shaped. It is made of burnished cyan-purple metal, but has an opulent, white interior with a contour that conforms to the physique of a Covenant Sangheili. An [[Heavy orbital insertion pod|even larger variant]] of the pod exists, which allows the deployment of multiple Covenant troops.

== Appearances ==
These pods made their first appearance in the [[Halo 2 E3 Demo]], where the Elites came down and openly challenged John-117 with their [[energy sword]]s. In the games, they first appear in the ''Halo 2''<nowiki />'s campaign level [[Outskirts]] and subsequently are present around [[Mombasa]]. They also appear in the campaign levels [[Sacred Icon (level)|Sacred Icon]], [[Quarantine Zone(level)|Quarantine Zone]], and [[Uprising]], occupied by allies of the [[Thel 'Vadam|Arbiter]].

They also appear in the ''Halo 3''<nowiki />'s campaign level [[Floodgate]], sent by the ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'' to aid John-117 and Thel 'Vadam against the [[Flood]] infestation in [[Voi]]. The impact is hard enough to break the occupying Elite's energy shield once it hits the ground.

They make a return in ''Halo: Reach'', in which they appear to be more rounded and bulky than the previous versions. A [[Heavy orbital insertion pod|multiple-troop variant]] of the pod is also introduced in ''Reach''; along with appearances in the campaign, these pods are frequently used by the Covenant in the game's [[Firefight]] mode. In the campaign level [[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]], the Covenant corvette ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'' launches dozens of drop pods, which are destructible if the player can reach them in time. Destroying the pods, however, does not award kills or points.

==Trivia==
*In ''Halo 3'', [[Drop Pod glitch|one may enter the pods]] on the level Floodgate when playing on [[cooperative play]] as the second, third, or fourth player (a Sangheili), provided the pods are not shot at all. If the player approaches one and holds the Right Bumper, he can jump into the pod, as if it were a vehicle.
*The appearance of the drop pod changed dramatically from the [[Halo: Reach E3 Campaign Demo|E3 2010 demo]] to its launch version. In the E3 demo it appeared to be more boxy and angular, while the launch version is smoother, more detailed and is more like a wider version of the the one from ''[[Halo 2]]''.
*The ''Halo: Reach'' daily challenge "Pod Kettle Black" is completed by destroying ten drop pods on the level [[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]. Interestingly, colliding with or ramming an insertion pod will destroy a fully-shielded [[YSS-1000 Sabre|Sabre]] and kill the player, despite the fact that the Sabre will typically survive a similar collision with a [[Type-27 Exoatmospheric Multi-role Fighter|Banshee]] or [[Type-31 Exoatmospheric Multi-role Fighter|Seraph]]. The death will register as "Collision Damage" and the player will receive a "Collision Damage" kill, but will not receive a [[Splatter Medal]].

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Concept - elite pod.jpg|Concept art of the orbital insertion pod for ''Halo: Reach''.
File:CovDropPod Full.jpg|A group of pods land on Earth in the ''Halo 2'' E3 demo.
File:ElitePod.jpg|An orbital insertion pod as seen in ''Halo 2''.
File:50829459-Full.jpg|A [[Special Operation Elite|SpecOps Elite]] about to emerge out of his drop pod and fight against the Flood.
File:51337064-Full.jpg|The Arbiter sitting in a drop pod.
File:Pod_22.jpg|An orbital insertion pod in the ''Halo: Reach'' E3 2010 demo.
File:Reach - Drop Pod.png|An overview design of orbital insertion pod from ''Halo: Reach''.
File:OIP.png|Frontal and rear views of an orbital insertion pod in ''Halo: Reach''.
File:OIP_interior.png|The interior of an orbital insertion pod.
File:OIP hatch.png|The interior of the hatch of an orbital insertion pod.
File:OIP impact.jpg|An orbital insertion pod impacts the ground.
File:Reach 364761 Full.jpg|A Sangheili stepping out of an orbital insertion pod.
File:Reach 16721238 Full.jpg|Pods being dropped from a [[SDV-class heavy corvette|Covenant corvette]].
File:Reach 596815 Medium.jpg|Another view of drop pods being dropped from a Covenant corvette.
File:Insertion pod attack.jpg|A [[YSS-1000 Sabre]] attacks orbital insertion pods during [[Operation: UPPER CUT]].
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''

==Sources==
<references/>

==Related pages==
*[[Heavy orbital insertion pod]]

[[Category:Covenant Vehicles]]