Updated for Town Hall 18 (October 2026).
The Battle Copter is the second hero of the Builder Base, a flying machine the Master Builder pilots into battle. It unlocks at Builder Hall 8 for 2,500,000 Builder Elixir, arrives already at level 15, and goes up to level 35 at Builder Hall 10. It attacks from long range and has a charge-up ability called Bomb Rush.
How the Battle Copter works
The Copter was added with Builder Base 2.0 in May 2023 as an air alternative to the Battle Machine. It flies, has no preferred target, and drops small bombs from 7 tiles away at both ground and air targets. Its damage per hit is modest; its value is range and a big health pool, which let it pick off buildings from outside many defenses’ reach and support the troops around it.
Like the Battle Machine, it attacks only. It does not defend your Builder Base when someone attacks you, and it sits on its altar the rest of the time.
Bomb Rush ability
Tap the Copter during battle to fire Bomb Rush: it heals some health, dives at its current target and drops one large bomb at close range for area damage. Like all Builder Base hero machines it has three charge levels. It enters battle at charge level 1, and waiting longer before you tap builds up to level 3, which gives a bigger bomb, a wider blast and more healing. After you use it, the charge takes about 40 seconds to climb back to level 3.
The ability gets stronger every 5 hero levels, from ability level 1 at hero level 15 to ability level 5 at hero level 35.
| Charge level | Blast radius | Damage (ability 1 to 5) | Healing (ability 1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.5 tiles | 179 to 319 | 550 to 650 |
| 2 | 2 tiles | 274 to 487 | 1,100 to 1,300 |
| 3 | 4 tiles | 368 to 655 | 1,650 to 1,950 |
The dive puts the Copter close to defenses, so Bomb Rush is a trade: a charge 3 rush can wipe a cluster and patch up the Copter’s health, while a careless charge 1 rush mostly gets it shot. It works best as an emergency heal or on a group of small targets worth hitting at once. At full charge the bomb can destroy the Zappies that come out of O.T.T.O’s Outpost in one hit.
Battle Copter in two-stage attacks
From Builder Hall 6, Builder Base attacks have two stages. You choose one hero per stage. If your hero survives Stage 1 you can keep it for Stage 2 with whatever health it had left, or swap to your other hero at full health. If it died, you have to bring the other one. That makes the Copter and the Battle Machine a pair. One simple plan is to run one hero through Stage 1 and bring the other, at full health, for the second base.
Battle Copter levels
Upgrades cost Builder Elixir and use a builder. Since May 2026 the Builder Base has an extra builder (once all your Home Village builders are unlocked), so hero upgrades no longer block as much of your other progress.
| Level | DPS | Hitpoints | Ability level | Upgrade cost (Builder Elixir) | Upgrade time | Builder Hall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 112 | 2,857 | 1 | 2,500,000 (build) | None | 8 |
| 16 | 116 | 2,885 | 1 | 2,600,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 17 | 119 | 2,915 | 1 | 2,700,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 18 | 123 | 2,943 | 1 | 2,800,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 19 | 126 | 2,972 | 1 | 2,900,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 20 | 130 | 3,003 | 2 | 3,000,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 21 | 134 | 3,032 | 2 | 3,100,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 22 | 137 | 3,062 | 2 | 3,200,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 23 | 141 | 3,094 | 2 | 3,300,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 24 | 144 | 3,124 | 2 | 3,400,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 25 | 148 | 3,155 | 3 | 3,500,000 | 5d | 8 |
| 26 | 153 | 3,187 | 3 | 3,600,000 | 6d | 9 |
| 27 | 157 | 3,220 | 3 | 3,700,000 | 6d | 9 |
| 28 | 162 | 3,252 | 3 | 3,800,000 | 6d | 9 |
| 29 | 166 | 3,285 | 3 | 3,900,000 | 6d | 9 |
| 30 | 171 | 3,318 | 4 | 4,000,000 | 6d | 9 |
| 31 | 175 | 3,348 | 4 | 4,100,000 | 7d | 10 |
| 32 | 180 | 3,375 | 4 | 4,200,000 | 7d | 10 |
| 33 | 184 | 3,402 | 4 | 4,300,000 | 7d | 10 |
| 34 | 189 | 3,429 | 4 | 4,400,000 | 7d | 10 |
| 35 | 193 | 3,456 | 5 | 4,500,000 | 7d | 10 |
Costs and times are standard values before any Gold Pass discount. Because it starts at level 15, buying the Copter counts as 15 levels toward the combined Battle Machine and Battle Copter level of 45 needed for B.O.B Control.
How to attack with the Battle Copter
- Use it as long-range support. It can’t outrange most anti-air, but from 7 tiles it can hit buildings behind your front line while Baby Dragons, Beta Minions or a Drop Ship do the heavy damage.
- Pair it with a Cannon Cart on the ground to clear a wide strip of base with little risk to either.
- Send it ahead to find traps. Its health pool can absorb a trap that would wipe a group of troops.
- Save Bomb Rush for a heal when it’s about to go down, or for a cluster worth a charge 2 or 3 blast.
How to defend against the Battle Copter
- Anti-air defenses are the answer: Air Bombs, Firecrackers, the Mega Tesla and the Roaster. Place them so the Copter has to come within their range to reach its targets.
- Firecrackers and the Roaster take a while to bring down a high-level Copter, so group a few anti-air defenses rather than spreading them thin.
- The Builder Base X-Bow set to air has the range to keep hitting the Copter while it attacks something in front of it.
- Mega Mines set to air near your anti-air hit it hard when it flies in.
- High-hitpoint buildings like Gold Storages on the outside waste its time if the attacker uses it to pick at the edges.
Battle Copter FAQ
What Builder Hall unlocks the Battle Copter?
Builder Hall 8. It costs 2,500,000 Builder Elixir to build.
Why does the Battle Copter start at level 15?
That’s how it was designed: it is built at level 15 instead of level 1. Levels 15-25 are available at Builder Hall 8, 26-30 at Builder Hall 9 and 31-35 at Builder Hall 10, the same top level of 35 as the Battle Machine.
Can you use the Battle Copter and Battle Machine together?
Not in the same stage. You pick one hero per stage, and can switch heroes between Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Does the Battle Copter defend the Builder Base?
No. Builder Base heroes only attack.
For the rest of the Builder Base army and buildings, see the Builder Base guide and the Builder Hall page.
Sources: Supercell release notes (Builder Base 2.0 patch notes, May 2023, May 2026 update), in-game data.
