Master the Flare Gun in PUBG Mobile: Call Airdrops and Armored Vehicles

The PUBG Mobile Flare Gun is a rare utility weapon that can call a high-value supply drop or an armored vehicle in Classic-style matches. The key is your position: official PUBG MOBILE patch notes describe firing inside the Playzone to call a special airdrop and firing outside it to call an armored vehicle. The exact vehicle and available rewards can vary by map, mode, and update, so check the rules for the match you are playing before you commit.

The classic Flare Gun is not a choice between “white ammo” and “red ammo.” Its strategic decision is where and when to fire. Use the steps below to pick the reward you want, reduce the chance of being ambushed, and leave the drop before another squad closes in.

What the PUBG Mobile Flare Gun Does

PUBG MOBILE introduced the Flare Gun as a rare item with two location-dependent outcomes: a special airdrop inside the Playzone or an armored vehicle outside it. Later official notes identify the BRDM-2 as one vehicle called by a flare, but that name should not be treated as a guarantee for every current map or event. The contents of special drops also vary; a flare does not promise a particular gun, armor level, or attachment.

Special modes can add their own flare-related items. For example, PUBG MOBILE has listed a separate Tank Flare Gun in Payload content. Read the active mode description and distinguish that special item from the standard Flare Gun before building a rotation around it.

See the official PUBG MOBILE Patch Notes 0.8.0 for the original Playzone rule and Patch Notes 0.15.0 for the BRDM-2 addition.

Flare Gun Airdrop or Armored Vehicle?

These are the classic rules described in official notes, not a promise that every themed mode uses the same reward. If the current match shows a reward indicator or special-item description, use that information first. If no vehicle reward is available in the mode, do not fire outside the Playzone expecting one.

Where to Find a Flare Gun

The Flare Gun is rare, and the official notes do not publish a dependable spawn percentage or a universal list of guaranteed buildings. Treat map callouts that promise a Flare Gun at a particular landmark as a route idea, not a spawn guarantee. Search thoroughly while looting, but do not cross an exposed area or take an unnecessary early fight solely because a guide labels a spot “high chance.”

• Loot nearby buildings and compounds as your squad moves through its normal opening route.
• Check the inventory and mode rules before leaving a safe position to chase a reported spawn.
• Call out the Flare Gun and the intended reward so teammates can plan cover and transport.

How to Use the Flare Gun: Four Steps

1. Confirm the mode and reward. Check whether the match uses the standard Flare Gun or a special event variant. Decide whether your team needs the airdrop or an armored vehicle, and confirm the current mode supports it.
2. Check your position against the Playzone. For the classic mechanic, fire inside the Playzone for a special supply drop. The outside-Playzone shot is for an armored vehicle when available. Recheck the circle before firing; a small rotation can change the result.
3. Choose a clear firing point. Move to open sky away from roofs, trees, and tight courtyards. Keep nearby hard cover and an escape route in mind. Aim steeply upward, fire, then move back into cover instead of standing in the open to watch.
4. Secure the landing and leave. Watch the aircraft or vehicle approach, mark the landing area, and have teammates cover separate angles. Loot only what improves the squad, then rotate before the flare and crate draw a second team into the area.

Squad Tactics for a Safer Flare Drop

A flare is visible and valuable, so assume other players may investigate. In squads, assign jobs before the shot: one player fires, two watch likely approach routes, and the last player tracks the circle and prepares the next rotation. Use terrain, buildings, and smoke grenades to limit sightlines; avoid bunching up beside the crate where a single grenade or burst can catch everyone.

Do not treat the crate as a mandatory stop. If the landing point is exposed, the circle is moving, or enemies already have the angles, leave it and preserve your squad. A vehicle reward can make a rotation safer, but it does not make a vehicle invulnerable. Keep moving, avoid predictable roads when possible, and do not drive straight into a compound just because the vehicle is armored.

Common Flare Gun Mistakes

• Firing from the wrong side of the Playzone: verify your position before using a rare item.
• Assuming a specific crate loadout: the drop is valuable, but a particular weapon or armor piece is not guaranteed.
• Using an old spawn chart as a promise: item availability and themed content can change; there is no official universal spawn-rate table in the cited notes.
• Ignoring the attention it creates: plan cover and an exit before firing, not after the plane arrives.
• Confusing special mode gear with the standard weapon: read the mode description for items such as a Tank Flare Gun.

Quick Flare Gun Checklist

• Is this the standard Flare Gun or a mode-specific variant?
• Does the match support the reward you want?
• Are you inside or outside the Playzone as intended?
• Can your squad cover the firing point and landing area?
• Do you have a safe route away from the drop?

Use the Flare Gun when its reward solves a real squad need, not simply because you found one. Confirm the mode, choose the correct side of the Playzone, prepare security, and leave as soon as the drop stops being worth the risk.