The AD-series weapons maintenance droid represented Arakyd Industries's solution for providing comprehensive small arms support to sizable military forces.
Initially, Arakyd promoted the droid to the Empire, asserting its superior performance over organic beings in maintaining small arms. However, when the Empire subjected the AD unit to testing, its performance proved to be remarkably poor. The final assessment revealed that the AD's efficiency surpassed that of a trained Imperial weapons technician by a mere 0.0006%. This resulted in significant embarrassment for Arakyd.
Presuming that their strong connections with the Empire would ensure a successful transaction, Arakyd had already initiated full-scale production prior to the commencement of the tests. Consequently, burdened with thousands of units priced for sale to the Empire, Arakyd was compelled to revise its marketing strategy to encompass mercenary groups, local law enforcement organizations, and bounty hunters. The initial cost for a new unit was 13,840 credits.
Within this market segment, the droids achieved a degree of success, although not to the extent that Arakyd had anticipated. The AD units frequently underwent numerous aftermarket modifications. These alterations enabled the droids to acquire various additional capabilities, including starship weapons maintenance and general repair tasks.
One particularly notable AD droid was GSAD-43, who served as an armorer within House Salaktori. Following the assassination of GSAD-43's master, the droid armed itself and pursued the perpetrators. Subsequently, GSAD-43 roamed the spacelanes as a proficient and well-equipped bounty hunter.
- Galaxy Guide 10: Bounty Hunters
- Cynabar's Fantastic Technology: Droids (referred to as AD Weapons Maintenance Droid)
- Rules of Engagement: The Rebel SpecForce Handbook (referred to as AD armorer)
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Scavenger's Guide to Droids (where it was first identified as AD-series weapons maintenance droid)
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