Research is the main progression system in Sandustry. It allows you to unlock new Buildings, Tools, logistics systems, exploration equipment, and advanced production technology.
Research is accessed through the Research tab and primarily requires Gold, with later progression also involving other resources and prerequisites.
Sandustry Research Guide – All Research Tiers, Unlocks & Costs
The Research tree is divided into six tiers, with more advanced technologies becoming available as you progress through the game.
Tier 1 Research
Tier 1 introduces the basic systems you’ll need to start building your factory and exploring the planet.
- Shaker — 20 Gold: Unlocks the Shaker, which separates Gold and Residue from Wet Sand.
- Logistics — 30 Gold: Unlocks Conveyor Belts and Launchers for transporting solid resources.
- Hover — 50 Gold: Unlocks Hover mode. Press Space Bar to float in place and phase through structures.
- Map — 100 Gold: Unlocks the Map and Minimap.
- Flare Gun — 150 Gold: Unlocks the Flare Gun for lighting dark areas.
- Filter — 250 Gold: Unlocks Filters for sorting resources on conveyor lines.
- Sprint Boost — 200 Gold: Unlocks a temporary movement boost while holding Shift.
- Wall Light: Unlocks a wall-mounted light for illuminating your factory and surrounding areas.
Tier 2 Research
Tier 2 begins expanding your production capabilities and introduces several useful tools.
- Kinetic Press — 500 Gold: Processes Burnt Residue into additional Gold and Seeds.
- Flamethrower — 400 Gold: Burns Residue, melts Ice, and vaporizes Water into Steam.
- Burner Belt — 500 Gold: Unlocks a belt that ignites flammable materials using heat supplied through a Thermal Buffer.
- Thermal Buffer — 1,000 Gold: Stores and distributes heat to nearby machines.
- Sweeper Drone — 800 Gold: Automatically collects materials from the ground.
- Flashlight — 600 Gold: Provides a portable light source wherever you aim.
- Conveyor Portal — 750 Gold: Allows resources to cross production lines without mixing.
- CryoBlaster — 1,000 Gold: Produces Snow that can freeze Water, solidify Lava, or be converted into Steam and eventually Rain.
Tier 3 Research
Tier 3 introduces fluid transportation, farming, more advanced excavation, and automated production.
- Fluids — 1,250 Gold: Unlocks Pipes, Pumps, and Liquid Vents.
- Planter Box — 2,000 Gold: Allows you to grow crops. Wet Seeds can grow into Flowers that provide Gold and Amethelis when harvested.
- Gun — 1,500 Gold: Allows you to dig and interact with materials from a distance.
- Pyro Dispenser — 2,000 Gold: Automatically fires flame bursts every three seconds when supplied with heat from an adjacent Thermal Buffer.
- Clearing Frame — 1,000 Gold: Works similarly to a slow Conveyor Belt while moving objects inside the frame. It can help clear resources from static surfaces and move floating objects.
- Vacuum — 2,000 Gold: Collects materials into a tank.
- Activity Heatmap — 700 Gold: Adds the Activity Heatmap to the Map.
- Aerokinetic Fan — 1,500 Gold: Blows petals and powders through the air and is particularly useful for moving large quantities of Amethelis.
- Digger Drone — 2,500 Gold: Automatically digs resources without requiring constant manual input.
Tier 4 Research
Tier 4 focuses on better logistics, automation, resource sorting, exploration, and creature interaction.
- Advanced Filter — 1,500 Gold: Unlocks advanced filtering for multiple resource types, including liquids and gases.
- Drying & Condensing — 2,500 Gold: Unlocks the Steam Dryer for drying materials with Steam and the Condenser for turning gases into liquids using Snow.
- Rocket Launcher — 2,000 Gold: Unlocks the Rocket Launcher.
- Logistics Mk. 2 — 2,500 Gold: Unlocks Conveyor Belt Mk. 2 and Launcher Mk. 2 for faster resource transportation.
- Corraller — 1,250 Gold: Allows you to capture Critters.
- Hauler Drone — 3,000 Gold: Automates the transportation of materials.
- Recon Drone — 2,500 Gold: Provides an automated scouting tool for exploration.
Tier 5 Research
Tier 5 introduces advanced energy systems, excavation equipment, material processing, and Void-related technology.
- Snowmaker — 2,500 Gold: Converts Water into Snow using Energy.
- Florinol Battery — 1,500 Gold: Stores Florinol as energy for powering machinery and tools.
- Drill — 2,500 Gold: Allows you to break through hard materials and requires Energy. It also requires the Rocket Launcher and Florinol Battery to unlock.
- Smelter — 3,000 Gold: Smelts materials placed on top of it using heat from a Thermal Buffer or Lava.
- Energy Siphon — 1,000 Gold: Transfers Energy between power storage systems.
- Flux Emanator — 2,000 Gold: Converts Voidbloom into Fluxite.
- Copper Mold — 2,000 Gold: Allows you to cast Power Bricks using Liquid Copper. Power Bricks store large amounts of Energy and can be automatically recharged using a Generator. This research requires the Smelter and Florinol Battery.
- Void Rift — 3,000 Gold: Produces Void Seeds, which can be planted and refined into Void materials.
- Energy Connector — 1,000 Gold: Transfers Energy between power structures.
- Steam Turbine — 3,000 Gold: Provides automated power generation using Steam.
- Laser — 5,000 Gold: Unlocks a powerful excavation tool capable of continuously breaking through hard materials.
- Recall Shard — 4,000 Gold: Allows you to teleport back to a Recall Portal powered by Voidbloom.
- Locator — 3,000 Gold: Uses Voidjuice to scan for hidden alien artifacts.
Tier 6 Research
Tier 6 is currently the highest listed research tier and introduces advanced material conversion.
- Synthesizer — 7,500 Gold: Uses Energy to convert one material into another.
Recommended Research Progression
You don’t necessarily need to unlock every Research option immediately. A practical progression is to prioritize technologies that improve transportation and production first.
Early on, Shaker, Logistics, and Filter are especially useful because they establish the foundation of your factory.
After that, Kinetic Press, Flamethrower, and Thermal Buffer help expand your production chains and introduce heat-based processing.
Once you reach Tier 3, Fluids, Planter Box, and Gun become important for expanding your resource production and exploration capabilities.
Later, prioritize Logistics Mk. 2, Advanced Filter, Corraller, and the various drones as your factory becomes larger and increasingly difficult to manage manually.
For advanced progression, Florinol Battery, Smelter, Energy Connector, Steam Turbine, and Laser become particularly valuable because they open up Sandustry’s more demanding energy and excavation systems.
Keep in mind that the Research tree is still a work in progress, so individual costs, prerequisites, names, and functionality may change as the game receives updates.