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]]?''</center>
{{Individual ship infobox
|name=Orbital Insertion Pod
|image=[[File:Pod_22.jpg|300px]]
|class=Insertion Vehicle
|manufacturer=[[Covenant Empire]]
|modifier=
|sysmods=
|length=
|width=
|height=6m (18ft.) 
|max accel=Freefall
|max speed space=
|max speed air=
|engine=None
|slipspace drive=
|slipspace speed=
|poweroutput=
|power=
|shield gen=
|hull=Weak
|sensor=
|target=
|navigation=
|avionics=
|countermeasures=
|armament=None
|complement=
|crew=
|skeleton=
|passengers=1
|capacity=
|consumables=
|othersystems=
|role=Orbital insertion 
|commission=
|firstsight=[[Fall of Reach]]
|destroyed=
|retired=
|lastsight=
|battles=
|affiliation=[[Covenant Empire|Covenant]]
|fleet=
|taskforce=
|owners=
|namedcrew=
|captains=
}}
The '''Orbital Insertion Pod''' is a single-occupant, [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]]-manufactured, high-altitude deployment vehicle. It is roughly cylindrical in shape, but with two tapered, slightly angular ends. 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]]. Upon impact with the ground, the pod splits into two halves, revealing the interior and allowing the Sangheili inside to exit.

==Overview==
When the Covenant decide to capture a planet rather than simply [[glassing]] it from orbit, 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. It is theorized that the pods are coated with an energy shield to disperse heat, and are armored to withstand anti-air flak cannon fire. 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. It is probable that a stasis field holds the Sangheili safely in place during impact. Upon landing, the front of the pod blows off to allow exit, so the fronts are probably placed on the pod just before the drop.{{Verify_source}}

==Appearances==
These pods made their first appearance in the [[Halo 2 E3 Demo]], where Sangheili came down and openly challenged John-117 with [[Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword|Energy Swords]]. In the games, they first appear in the ''[[Halo 2]]'' level {{Levelname|Outskirts}} and subsequently were evident around [[New Mombasa]] during the [[Battle of Earth]]. They also appear in the levels {{Levelname|Sacred Icon}}, {{Levelname|Quarantine Zone}}, and {{Levelname|Uprising}}, occupied by allies of [[Thel 'Vadam|Thel 'Vadamee]].<ref>''[[Halo 2: The Official Strategy Guide]]'' page 140</ref>

They also appear in the ''[[Halo 3]]'' level {{Levelname|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 an appearance in the E3 2010 ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' [[Halo: Reach E3 Campaign Demo|demo]]. They appear to be more rounded and bulky than the previous versions.<ref>'''''[[Halo: Reach]]''''' ''[[Halo: Reach E3 Campaign Demo|E3 Campaign Demo]]''</ref> An [[Heavy Orbital Insertion Pod|even larger variant]] of the pod makes an appearance in the [[Halo: Reach Welcome to Firefight 2.0 Trailer]], deploying [[Jiralhanae]] in the map {{Levelname|Waterfront}}. This pod has three rocket boosters on its underside to cushion its fall, and three hatches on each side that slide upwards instead of blowing open. Once the hatches are open, the openings are also protected by energy fields.<ref>[[Halo: Reach Welcome to Firefight 2.0 Trailer|'''Halo: Reach''' - ''Welcome to Firefight 2.0'']]</ref>

==Trivia==
*On the level {{Levelname|Uprising}} in ''Halo 2'', one may see that the occupant in an insertion pod will die on impact immediately after the hatch on the pod blows open, meaning that they are as dangerous as the SOEIV, although this could be a glitch.{{Verify_source}}
*In ''Halo 3'', [[Drop Pod glitch]]|one may enter the pods]] on the level Floodgate when playing on [[Co-Op]] 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 drop pods resemble ancient Egyptian sarcophagi; the posture of the Sangheili inside (arms crossed) resembles the posture of the mummified remains placed within Egyptian coffins.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
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:CovDropPod Full.jpg|A group of pods land on Earth.
File:Podopenclose.jpg|An OIP when closed and when open in ''[[Halo Reach]]''.
File:ElitePod.jpg|An Orbital Insertion Pod as seen in ''[[Halo 2]]''.
File:Halo Reach - Drop Pod.jpg|An Elite about to exit a pod in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.
File:Heavy_Orbital_Insertion_Pod.png|A larger variant of the pod in ''Halo: Reach''.
</gallery>

==Sources==
<references/>

[[de:Allianz Abwurf-Kapsel]]
[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Halo: Reach Vehicles]]