Survey ship
A survey ship was a spacecraft which was used for conducting research.
The Daleks operated numerous saucers which were classed as Survey Ships. (COMIC: The Dalek Project)
Filbik storage ships were unmanned survey ships connected to a mothership, and were used by the Filbik to store and transport collected samples from alien planets. (PROSE: The End of the Rainbow)
The Ice Maiden was a survey ship that conducted survey trips for British Petroleum and Exxon, before later being augmented by alien technology. (COMIC: World Without End)
The Interplanetary Mining Corporation used survey ships. (TV: Colony in Space)
The Pride of Sheboygan and Father of the Bride were survey ships owned by the Iapara Investiture. (PROSE: Piecemeal)
The survey ship Icarus was a starship of the Terran Survey Corps. The crew helped the Seventh Doctor defeat the Garvond. (PROSE: The Dimension Riders)