I got to thinking today about how Wheelie described himself as a "drone", but seemingly still has the same level of sentience as a typical Transformer. Scorponok is another character described as a drone unit, this time as a symbiotic outgrowth of Blackout; and Ravage, likewise, is described as "part and parcel" of Soundwave. These two display "average" levels of intelligence and problem solving ability, albeit with more feral savagery mixed-in. Essentially they are portrayed as the Transformer equivalent of animals, but do not at any time appear "stupid" or "mindless". (Not to say that animals are stupid or mindless of course...) What exactly constitutes a Transformer "Drone"? What's the difference between a drone and a normal Transformer? Do drones hold less standing in Transformer society? Are they born like other Transformers or are they built especially for whatever they're intended to do (Wheelie said he was a "Salvage and Scrap" drone)?
I imagine it is different for each type of drone. Some, like Scorponok and Ravage, are "Minion Drones" that might have true sentience and willpower or might not have anything but set levels of AI based on their functions. I think it just depends on the individual "drone".
Could be such. That would explain why Scorponok and Ravage weren't openly stated as drones. Well Ravage wasn't...
I actually thought he was trying to describe himself in terms that would sound like he was low bot on the heap, and it is really not his fault he is trying to steal the All-Spark splinter. He used the term "Drone" as a euphemism.
That's what I took it as. He was simply stating he was just a pawn or lowly hand in the greater scheme of things.