Back then you could scan a robot an unlimited amount of times.
Your scanner decayed and sometimes you got scanning skills.

In todays world you can scan a robot once (or have to wait for like 3 minutes until you can scan it again). Usually you have to move on to the next mob/robot/human/vehicle.

If the 1st robot did not give any scanning skill, move on to the 2nd robot.
If both didnt give you any scanning skills, you have to try the next robot.
(While the other 2 already started attacking you.)

Im close to 2k "scan robot" and did some testing, regarding skill gain.

1.) I entered the "free" beacon at Port Atlantis and scanned nearly all of the gazzilion drones. Result: 1x Scan Robot, 1x Probing

2.) I went to "Calypso Gateway" and did a very long test on the puny Drone Prototypes. I stopped counting after 100 and continued for at least 1 hour.

Result: 3x Scan Robot, 1x Analysis, 1xProbing

3.)I tried lvl 19 Drokas, believing higher lvl robots might give more skills.
Was I wrong. It not only takes ages, as I had to kill it after every scan,
but it also only gave me 1xScan Robot, 1xAnalysis after 1 hour and 54 Drokas.

4.)I tried spider bombers and it is nothing different.

5.) I tried steelbirds, but they did not give any "scan robot" skills.

So, my goal for 2018 will be unlocking robotology. Ill post here every 6 months.*lol* -_- ...