Where to find the Zaya Observatory dead drop in DMZ

Collect the GPS tracker.

Zaya Observatory dead drop in DMZ.
Screengrab via Activision

In Call of Duty‘s DMZ, you get to visit various locations on Al Mazrah, Ashika Island, and Vondel to complete numerous missions from all the factions featured in the game mode. These missions have certain objectives that you need to complete to progress in this game mode, including visits to specific dead drop points on the maps.

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On Al Mazrah, for example, the Zaya Observatory dead drop is a key location where many players will converge as they collect important items and drop them off for completion. Players can even deposit cash into a dead drop such as this if they wish to lower their insured weapon recovery time.

Most players from battle royale know that Zaya can be one of the most-contested spots on the map since it is the highest spot on Al Mazrah that also sits in the middle of the map. Once Zaya is conquered by a team, the rest of the world is their oyster since they can parachute to almost anywhere on the map.

If you’re quick, efficient, and careful, here’s how to find the Zaya Observatory dead drop in DMZ.

Where is the DMZ dead drop in Zaya Observatory?

The Zaya Observatory dead drop is located between the northeastern block of buildings in the Zaya Observatory POI. Check the yellow circle in the image below for the exact location of this block on the map, where you will find an interactive dumpster that you can access to either leave items in or take items out.

Location of Zaya Observatory dead drop in Al Mazrah in DMZ.
Screengrab via Activision | Remix by Dipanjan

If you’re struggling to pinpoint the dead drop’s exact location, we would simply look for the cluster of three buildings at the top of the Zaya Observatory area. There is only one dumpster that can be found in the middle of the buildings, which can easily be found whether you’re passing by the green bus to the north or from the winding road from below.

Screengrab of a dumpster in between two buildings in DMZ.
The dumpster can be found in the middle of these three buildings. (Screengrab via Dot Esports)

How to complete the Pathfinder mission in DMZ

One major mission that takes place with the Zaya Observatory dead drop is Pathfinder, which has three objectives. The first one requires you to loot the GPS tracker from the dumpster dead drop at Zaya Observatory. For the second part, you need to travel to every POI while carrying the GPS tracker in one deployment. The final objective is to extract the GPS tracker from the map.

While it may sound tricky, you can complete this mission in one extraction itself. Start by finding a helicopter after spawning on the map. Once you have it, you can visit every POI on the map without having to engage enemies. Get your teammates on the helicopter and visit the Zaya Observatory POI. Collect the GPS tracker and start flying around Al Mazrah to visit the rest.

Related: All dead drop locations in DMZ Season 4

We recommend finding an extraction point first before you start exploring the map. Make sure you visit the exfil point at the end of the tour to safely extract from the map. A helicopter is the best vehicle to complete this mission quickly, but players can also use other vehicles if they don’t find a chopper. 

Author
Image of Dipanjan Dey
Dipanjan Dey
Dipanjan Dey started his gaming journey with Doom 2 and Contra: Legacy of War back in 1997. Naturally, he gravitated to RPGs and FPS titles like Call of Duty, Halo, and CS:GO. Dipanjan has been covering stories and writing about video games for the past five years. Dipanjan has been working as a Weekend Freelance Author for Dot Esports since August 2022, covering titles like Fortnite, Apex Legends, CoD, and new releases.
Author
Image of Tyler Esguerra
Tyler Esguerra
Lead League of Legends writer for Dot Esports. Forever an LCS supporter, AD carry main, with more than five years in the industry. Sometimes I like clicking heads in Call of Duty or VALORANT. Creator of the Critical Strike Podcast.