There are many discussions about if and how and when Pilot programs functions and the book is rather vague with few examples, a few things stand out though.

Pilot: Decision making program
The pilot can make decisions depending on input from sensors and commands and will try to be as efficient as possible. The Pilot is basically the Attribute in the Dicepool. It is the brain, not the skill.

Autosoft: A programmed skill for Pilots
The Autosoft is the actual skill for performing a task and is rather well explained in the BBB. Thus, the Autosoft is the Skill in the Dicepool.

I cannot find any specific explanation that Pilots are allowed to default on all skills to control a vehicle, they need an Autosoft unless the Skill in question allows for defaulting

Conclusion
Most drones with a pilot program will demand an additional Autosoft in order to pull off any kind of maneuvers – this does not include basic movement, only if you have for example combat drones and the GM demands Vehicle tests.

Non-Vehicle tests would be no problem because they can default on Gunnert, Sensor tests and other useful tasks.

For non-riggers autosofts might not be that imperative though, but the dedicated combat rigger should really load up on the or the drones will probably fail any combat oriented test they do.

Opinions?

The only skills you can default to are Groundcraft and Watercraft, anyway.

Luckily, any stock vehicle has Pilot 3.

heh, I'm sure any commercially bought pilot program has an instant-upgrade feature which will buy a rating 1 maneuver program for a hefty sum.

<ALERT ALERT>
<Autopilot: It appears that we're about to crash! My programming is limited but for 2000 I can upgrade and attempt to correct our situation. Would you like me to? (YES)(NO)>

Hah. Reminds me of Reason in Snow Crash

so, do you only need one copy of your autosofts on hand, or do you need a seperate set for each drone/vehicle? it seems like the drone rigger in the BBB only has one set of autosofts.

One per Skill.

one per skill, such as pilot ground craft, aircraft, etc.?
or one such as targeting, clearsight etc?

my original question was pretty much whether the hacker/rigger themselves needed the programs on their commlink (thereby using one set of autosoft programs for his drone/vehicle army)or if each drone/vehicle needed a seperate set of the same autosoft programs.

edit: nevermind. i figured it out.