diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/retaliate/combat_drone.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/retaliate/combat_drone.dm
index b8dacf1f796..bc0df94d624 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/retaliate/combat_drone.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/retaliate/combat_drone.dm
@@ -146,64 +146,61 @@
 	K.amount = pick(1, 2, 3, 4)
 	K.update_icon()
 
-	//also drop dummy circuit boards deconstructable for research (loot)
-	var/obj/item/circuitboard/C
-
-	//spawn 1-4 boards of a random type
-	var/spawnees = 0
+	// Spawn 1-4 boards of a random type
 	var/num_boards = rand(1, 4)
-	var/list/options = list(1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512)
-	for(var/i=0, i<num_boards, i++)
-		var/chosen = pick(options)
-		options.Remove(options.Find(chosen))
-		spawnees |= chosen
+	var/list/options = subtypesof(/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level)
+	for(var/i in 1 to num_boards)
+		var/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/board = pick_n_take(options)
+		new board(T)
 
-	if(spawnees & 1)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Drone CPU motherboard"
-		C.origin_tech = "programming=[rand(3, 6)]"
+// Becomes a board with a random level in the specified tech
+// It's done like this so we can have a random level because we can't do this in the type declaration
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level
+	/// Lower bound of random tech level
+	var/lower_bound = 3
+	/// Upper bound of random tech level
+	var/upper_bound = 6
 
-	if(spawnees & 2)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Drone neural interface"
-		C.origin_tech = "biotech=[rand(3, 6)]"
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/Initialize(mapload)
+	. = ..()
+	origin_tech += "[rand(lower_bound, upper_bound)]"
 
-	if(spawnees & 4)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Drone suspension processor"
-		C.origin_tech = "magnets=[rand(3, 6)]"
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/motherboard
+	name = "Drone CPU motherboard"
+	origin_tech = "programming="
 
-	if(spawnees & 8)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Drone shielding controller"
-		C.origin_tech = "bluespace=[rand(3, 6)]"
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/interface
+	name = "Drone neural interface"
+	origin_tech = "biotech="
 
-	if(spawnees & 16)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Drone power capacitor"
-		C.origin_tech = "powerstorage=[rand(3, 6)]"
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/processor
+	name = "Drone suspension processor"
+	origin_tech = "magnets="
 
-	if(spawnees & 32)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Drone hull reinforcer"
-		C.origin_tech = "materials=[rand(3, 6)]"
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/controller
+	name = "Drone shielding controller"
+	origin_tech = "bluespace="
 
-	if(spawnees & 64)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Drone auto-repair system"
-		C.origin_tech = "engineering=[rand(3, 6)]"
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/capacitor
+	name = "Drone power capacitor"
+	origin_tech = "powerstorage="
 
-	if(spawnees & 128)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Drone plasma overcharge counter"
-		C.origin_tech = "plasmatech=[rand(3, 6)]"
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/reinforcer
+	name = "Drone hull reinforcer"
+	origin_tech = "materials="
 
-	if(spawnees & 256)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Drone targetting circuitboard"
-		C.origin_tech = "combat=[rand(3, 6)]"
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/autorepair
+	name = "Drone auto-repair system"
+	origin_tech = "engineering="
 
-	if(spawnees & 512)
-		C = new(T)
-		C.name = "Corrupted drone morality core"
-		C.origin_tech = "syndicate=[rand(3, 6)]"
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/counter
+	name = "Drone plasma overcharge counter"
+	origin_tech = "plasmatech="
+
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/targeting
+	name = "Drone targeting circuitboard"
+	origin_tech = "combat="
+
+/obj/item/circuitboard/random_tech_level/morality
+	name = "Corrupted drone morality core"
+	origin_tech = "syndicate="