By Ricardo | RicardosGaming.co.uk | RicardosGaming.com | @ricardosgaming on YouTube
Elite Dangerous Space Settlement Guide: What Is the Trailblazers Update?
The Trailblazers update is the most significant addition to Elite Dangerous in years. For the first time, players can permanently stake a claim on uninhabited systems, establish working colonies, and reshape the galaxy map in ways that persist across the entire playerbase. This elite dangerous space settlement guide covers every step of the process — from choosing your target system right through to managing your first active colony.
Before Trailblazers, Elite Dangerous could feel like a universe where individual actions did not leave a mark. Colonisation changes that. Your settlement will appear on the galaxy map, contribute to local faction influence, and serve as a base of operations for yourself and your wing. It is the closest the game has come to giving players genuine ownership of the galaxy.
Step 1 — Choose the Right System and Planet
Not all systems are available for colonisation. You need to locate systems tagged as uncolonised in the galaxy map — typically within a few hundred light years of the bubble, though more adventurous Commanders push further out for the solitude.
Key Factors to Evaluate When Choosing Your System
- Distance from the bubble: Closer systems are easier to supply but attract more competition. Systems 200–500 ly out offer a good balance.
- Planet type: Rocky, metal-rich, or high-metal-content worlds make the best colony sites. Avoid high-gravity worlds for your first settlement.
- Resource availability: Check nearby asteroid fields and the planet’s geological survey data. Local resources reduce how much you need to haul in from the bubble.
- Star type: Scoopable stars (O, B, A, F, G, K, M) reduce the cost of deep-space travel to your claim.
Step 2 — Deploy a Beacon and Stake Your Claim
Once you have found your target, fly to the system and deploy a colonisation beacon at the intended location. On planetary surfaces this means landing at a suitable site; in orbital positions, park at the designated slot. The beacon marks your intention to settle and triggers the official claim process.
After deploying the beacon you need to complete a confirmation step via the Trailblazers interface. This exists to prevent accidental claims and system griefing. Read the confirmation carefully — it lists the settlement type and construction requirements before you commit. Once confirmed, your claim is registered on the Background Simulation. No other Commander can deploy a beacon at the same location. Your spot in Elite Dangerous history is secured.
Step 3 — Call In the Colonisation Ship
With your claim confirmed, the next step in this elite dangerous space settlement guide is summoning the colonisation ship. This large vessel arrives in your target system and becomes your primary base of operations during the construction phase. Approach it like any other megaship, request docking, and interact with the Colonisation Contact.
The colonisation ship provides: your initial commodity market for settlement supplies, construction progress tracking, settlement type and upgrade options, and wing coordination tools for group colonisation projects.
Step 4 — Supply the Settlement
The colonisation ship will generate a manifest of required commodities — typically Food Cartridges, Machinery, Consumer Technology, Construction Alloys, and similar industrial goods. Your job is to haul them in from nearby stations until the quota is met.
Tips That Will Save You Significant Time
- Use a Type-9 or Imperial Cutter for maximum efficiency on longer hauls — see our Best Cargo Ships Elite Dangerous guide for full rankings.
- Check High Tech and Industrial economy stations first — they reliably stock the commodities most colonisation manifests require.
- If running with a wing, coordinate commodity splits so nobody wastes credits buying the same goods.
- Track your delivery totals in the Trailblazers interface — the progress bar updates in real time.
Elite Dangerous Space Settlement Guide: Managing Your Colony Long-Term
Once the initial supply quota is met, your settlement moves from the construction phase to an active colony. At this point you can begin expanding — adding facilities, upgrading existing structures, and influencing the local Background Simulation faction to grow your political presence in the system.
Colonisation is a long-term game within the game. The most successful colonies are run by organised Commander groups who divide responsibilities across hauling, combat protection, and BGS influence work. Solo Commanders can absolutely build and maintain a colony, but the expansion pace is slower. Watch Ricardo’s full video above for a live walkthrough of every step. For more Elite Dangerous guides visit RicardosGaming.co.uk and RicardosGaming.com.
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