The Robots have the ability to build the Pawn Class Baseship, which has an advanced bioscanner. This advanced bioscanner is superior to a normal bioscanner in that it can detect life forms with 100% accuracy, with the same 200 light-year range. The planets that you own will not be scanned by the advanced bioscanner.
The mission report will tell you the type and number of natives that are living on the planet scanned. It will also tell you the climate of a planet with native life. The report will not tell you which race, if any, owns the planet.
Twenty or more defense posts will shield a planet from bioscanners. The Evil Empire is able to cause bio scanners to return false readings to all races except the Rebels, but the reason for this exception is unknown.
In addition to scanning for native life, the bioscanners will perform sensor scans. This is automatically done at the same time, and with the same Mission as performing a bio scan.
This ability is activated by the use of the Bio Scan mission.
See also: Out of Fuel.