Depending on your desired ship, there are several different ways to obtain a ship and use it on your own:
Legitimate and Legal Way: Buy it
- You can not obtain Civilian ships through any in-game methods. They are automatically generated by their home Station (including player station(s))
- Small Ships are built-to-order and are bought at Small Ship Dealers
- These dealers are located at various Small (Civilian) Shipyards in the universe. There are 2 in Albion, 1 in DeVries, 2 in Omicron Lyrae, and (DLC: TO) 1 in Fields of Opportunity. (see below)
- Capital Ships are built on request and are built by talking to Capital Ship Dealers
- These dealers are located at various Capital Shipyards in the Universe. There are 2 in Albion, 1 in DeVries, 1 in Omicron Lyrae. and (DLC: TO) 1 in Fields of Opportunity. If you have advanced to a certain place in the Plot (AKA Capaign) another shipyard may be built in DeVries; it may build S/M & XL ships only depending upon how advanced it becomes
- Drones are obtained in a rather complicated way.
- If you want to equip a drone on the Skunk, talk to NPC Drone Dealers; they will list their available drones. Other drone dealers, even on the same platform, may have different stock so shop around! (Note that the Construction URV was removed from this list, so do not complain about not being able to find any this way).
- If you want to equip drone(s) on your ship(s), talk to the ship dealers at the appropriately-sized dock. Go to 'Modify Ships', then 'Equip Drones', then follow the steps to complete the job. (NOTE: it is usually quicker & cheaper to buy capship drones directly from a drone manufacturer, then use the 'Transfer Wares' command to Equip Drones to the target ship, provided at least 1 of the two ships has at least 1 cargo drone /equipped/ & both have functioning Drone Bays). 'Transfer From' & 'Transfer To' can be used in conjunction (requiring 2 trade commands) to equip drones to the original (drone-buying) ship
"Illegal" and "Pirate" Way: Board it
Refer to the articles about Boarding Ships for more info (link).
Simply put, you order your boarding team to try to overrun and take control of the ship. Note that it will reduce your reputation with <target> faction (as well as any faction nearby that is allied to <target>) to do so.
Random Way: Claim it
NOTE: This (mostly) applies to S/M ships!
When in dogfights with S/M ships, sometimes the Pilot in that ship bails out in an Escape Pod. The Small ship then becomes "Neutral" and does not function at all.
You will need to recruited a Pilot in order to claim the S/M ship. Once done, return to where your <target>ship is & double-click on it. Click "Claim" and wait for your Pilot to complete all procedures.
It is rumored that there are random ownerless ships scattering in the various locations in the entire X: Rebirth Universe.. If you happen upon a capship rather than a S/M sip you'll need at least a Captain to perform a similar feat (Pilots cannot work on capships; Captains cannot work on S/M ships)