Quick answer
Current Subnautica2.gg, Subnautica2Hub, and Wikily data list Echo Location as a locked Tadpole module crafted at the Modification Station with Quartz x3, Mild Acid x1, and Atacamite x1. Its job is to ping nearby resources. Treat the unlock as progression-gated or scan-gated until your save shows the recipe.
Field notes for resource pings
The module is a route helper, not a miracle
Echo Location helps you notice nearby resources, but it does not replace good markers, clean storage, or knowing which material you are actually chasing.
Quartz is the quiet cost
Three Quartz can hurt if Glass and System Chip work are active. Set those pieces aside before you start converting every crystal into windows.
Wait for the recipe to appear
Public data marks the module as locked. If it is missing, keep scanning and progressing instead of farming the materials again.
Echo Location craft plan
Confirm the unlock first
Public pages agree that Echo Location is locked, but word the unlock differently. Check the Modification Station before farming every ingredient; if it is missing, keep progressing scans and objectives.
Stock Quartz near electronics
The recipe asks for Quartz x3. Quartz feels common until it is sitting in a glass locker across the base, so store a small stack with wiring and module materials.
Spend Mild Acid carefully
Echo Location competes with Biolab and Processor for Mild Acid. If you only have one acid, decide whether resource pinging is more urgent than Biomods or processing chains.
Use Atacamite with a plan
Atacamite is not an early throwaway material. Bring it to the Modification Station only after the module is visible and the Tadpole route needs the scan utility.
Install it for resource routes
Echo Location pings nearby resources, so it pays off most when you are searching repeated material loops rather than taking a short sightseeing dive.
Resource ping loop
Unlock
Module
Check Modification Station before farming.
Craft
Echo Location
Quartz, Mild Acid, Atacamite.
Ping
Resources
Use it on repeated material routes.
Echo Location checklist
| Need | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Station | Current data lists Modification Station. |
| Unlock | Locked, scan-gated, or progression-gated in public data. |
| Quartz x3 | Keep near electronics and module storage. |
| Mild Acid x1 | Shares the same bottleneck as Biolab and Processor. |
| Atacamite x1 | Use only after the module is visible in your save. |
Do not farm the full recipe before the module appears
Echo Location is listed as locked in current data. The fastest mistake is collecting Atacamite and spending Mild Acid before your save can actually craft the module.
FAQ
How do you craft Echo Location in Subnautica 2?
Current blueprint data lists Quartz x3, Mild Acid x1, and Atacamite x1 at the Modification Station.
What does Echo Location do?
The current description says it pings nearby resources, making it useful for repeated material routes in the Tadpole.
Is Echo Location unlocked by default?
No. Public data lists it as locked, with scan or progression wording depending on the site. Check your Modification Station after story or scan progress.
Is Echo Location worth the Mild Acid?
If you are short on Mild Acid, compare it against Biolab and Processor first. Echo Location is best when resource searches are slowing the run down.