Ready to dominate Fortnite Winterfest Chapter 5 Season 1? Discover the secret locations of hacked drone hotspots where you can take down elusive Ship It! Express drones to rack up XP and loot. These hotspots, marked by golden-tinted names on the map, shift each match, making every game a fresh hunt for high-value targets and rare rewards. Gear up, drop in, and learn exactly where to find and destroy these hacked drones to complete your Winterfest quests with ease.
Where to find hacked drone hot spots in Fortnite
Hacked drone hotspots in Fortnite Winterfest Chapter 5 Season 1 are primarily found at two main points of interest: Ritzy Riviera in the northwest and Hazy Hillside in the southeast. Additionally, a significant number of hacked drones can be found around the Ship It! Express building located east of Pleasant Piazza. These hotspots are marked on the map with golden names, indicating areas where players can find and destroy hacked Ship It! Express drones to complete quests. Each hotspot typically features several drones flying around, which players need to shoot down to progress in Winterfest challenges.
When you start tracking the “Ship It! Express Snapshot” quest that asks you to find hacked drone hot spots, the usual pins won’t appear on your map. A couple POI names will be gold, though. Those are your hot spots – along with the main Ship It! Express location.

There are two POI hot spots for hacked drones: Ritzy Riviera in the northwest and Hazy Hillside in the southeast. You’ll also find a lot of drones around the Ship It! Express building to the east of Pleasant Piazza. Any of the drones you see there are hacked, so just shoot down any you see.

All that you have to do is get to one of those locations and shoot down three drones. If you run out of drones at one location, head to the next closest to look for more.
Where are the most secretive hacked drone hotspots in Fortnite Winterfest Chapter 5 Season 1
The most secretive hacked drone hotspots in Fortnite Winterfest Chapter 5 Season 1 are primarily located at two key points of interest: Ritzy Riviera in the northwest and Hazy Hillside in the southeast. Additionally, a significant concentration of hacked drones can be found around the Ship It! Express building just east of Pleasant Piazza. These hotspots are marked by golden-colored named locations on the map and change every match, making them dynamic targets for players aiming to complete the Winterfest quests by destroying hacked Ship It! Express drones.
Why are Ritzy Riviera and Hazy Hillside the main hacked drone hotspots in Fortnite
Ritzy Riviera and Hazy Hillside are the main hacked drone hotspots in Fortnite Winterfest Chapter 5 Season 1 primarily because they are major points of interest (POIs) that attract significant player activity and are highlighted in gold on the map during the event, indicating active drone presence. Their prominence as named locations makes them ideal for spawning multiple hacked Ship It! Express drones, which players need to destroy to complete Winterfest quests. Additionally, these areas are strategically placed on opposite sides of the map (northwest and southeast), ensuring balanced gameplay and accessibility for players across the island. The high player traffic and drone density at these POIs make them natural hotspots for the event’s drone-related challenges.
