Viper probe droid

The Viper probe droid denoted several models of reconnaissance droids used by the Galactic Empire and by civilian groups.

Description[]

The Viper was a repulsor-driven droid, built for deep-space exploration and reconnaissance missions. Each droid was delivered by a Hyperspace pod, sent crashing into the surface on their target world.

It was equipped with several spindly manipulator arms hanging from a central circular body and a turreted head with multiple sensors. On some droids, these sensors were red, while in others, they were black.

Known models used by the Empire were armed with blasters for self-defense and some even had shield generators. If cornered, the Viper could self-destruct to avoid capture.

History[]

Viper rebels — Viper model seen on Lothal.

Droids of this kind were used by the Empire to seek out signs of enemy locations. On Lothal, a Viper droid managed to track the Lothal Rebels. On Seelos, a probe droid damaged the rebel's shuttle-fighter Phantom before being destroyed.

In addition to reconnaissance, Viper probe droids were used as guard units for Imperial credit shipments, as living guards were considered a liability in terms of corruption. During the height of the Galactic Civil War, the Vipers were also used as battlefield units, hunting enemy infantry. In battle, they fared worse against armored units, due to their own relatively weak armor.

Three years after the Battle of Yavin, a Viper unit landed on the ice planet of Hoth and discovered the Rebel Alliance's Echo Base. After transmitting its location, the droid was ambushed by Han Solo and Chewbacca, who had a brief shootout with the Viper, before it self-destructed. With its signal intercepted as an unknown code, the Rebellion realized it most likely was an Imperial droid and prepared for confrontation. The following event became known as the Battle of Hoth, one of the Rebel Alliance's worst losses.

Several probe droids were stationed onboard the Death Star II battle station and participated in the welcoming ceremony for the Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine prior to the Battle of Endor.