The photonic stardrive was a a drive system that used light instead of plasma, it could allow ships to travel at previously unimaginable speeds "in real time"
Developed by Dr Plaxton on Caspar for three years on Caspar developing the drive, with an unspecified previous period working on it for the Federation. Atlan and his Space Rats combed a dozen world for raw materials, in return for the drive to fitted onto the Sapce Rats' space choppers.
The Mark 1 drive could manage Time Distort (TD) 12.6. The mark 2 could theoretically reach TD-15 but to accommodate the photon generator chamber, had to be much larger which meant, to Atlan's disappointment that it could not fitted to the space choppers. Despite it's larger size, it was portable and could be carried between two. (TV: Stardrive)
The mark 2 was eventually fitted to Scorpio by Paxton, which resulted in her death. but allowed the crew to flee a group of pursuit ships (TV: Stardrive), Whilst fleeing pursuit ships near Burcol 2, it was reoprted that Scorpio reached TD-12 in real time. (TV: Animals)