Helldivers 2: How to get and use the Expert Extraction Pilot booster

Before you leave your Super Destroyer in Helldivers 2, bringing a suitable booster to help aid your squad is an integral part of preparing to defend democracy on the surface of any planet. A notable booster you might consider using is the Expert Extraction Pilot booster.

Like the other boosters, the Expert Extraction Pilot bonus makes evacuating from a mission at the end easier. If you’ve ever had to have a last stand protecting the dropzone for the evacuation shuttle, sometimes cutting that time down in Helldivers 2 makes a world of difference. Before you can start using it, there’s a specific way to unlock it.

How to get the Expert Extraction Pilot booster in Helldivers 2

You can unlock the Expert Extraction Pilot booster by purchasing the Democratic Detonation Premium Warbond in Helldivers 2. It costs 1,000 Super Credits to unlock, and then you need to start purchasing the items using Warbond Medals. The Expert Extraction Pilot booster is on page two.

After you’ve purchased the Expert Extraction Pilot, the booster becomes an option you can select before you use a drop pod. You may need to coordinate with your Helldivers 2 squad mates. Everyone can bring a booster when they drop, but they need to be distinct, so you two players can’t bring similar boosters. Pairing the Expert Extraction Pilot and the Localization Confusion boosters is a solid combination.

How the Expert Extraction Pilot booster works in Helldivers 2

The Expert Extraction Pilot booster is about cutting the evacuation time at the end of a Helldivers 2 mission. The exact amount of time is 10% of the total time. If it takes four minutes to evacuate from a mission, the Expert Extraction Pilot booster cuts it down to three minutes and 24 seconds, cutting off 36 seconds. 

It will always be 10% for every mission you use the Expert Extraction Pilot booster. Although it’s small, it might mean the difference between leaving a Helldivers 2 mission with a pile of samples or being overrun by too many Bile Titans or Automatons Hulk converging on your location. I’ve already used it several times on more difficult Helldivers 2 missions. I’ve seen it save several teammates who narrowly dodged the clutches of an enemy attempting to eliminate them before they can depart the planet.