Dron Ryall was a human male. A prominent designer at Sienar Fleet Systems, a manufacturing firm allied with the Galactic Empire, he held a significant position there. After the Siege of Lothal, he found himself working at Sienar's factory located on Absanz. One fateful day, Ryall encountered Kanan Jarrus and Garazeb Orrelios, two well-known enemies of the Empire, who were scouring the facility in search of information regarding Sienar's latest prototype designs. Despite Ryall's assertion that he was "just a humble employee," the intruders deduced his true identity and made the decision to apprehend him. Despite the presence of numerous stormtroopers within the factory, Jarrus and Orrelios successfully managed to commandeer a Sentinel-class landing craft and bring the designer aboard. As the craft ascended into the air, an Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser launched an attack, causing Ryall to plummet through the open boarding hatch; however, Orrelios managed to grab his hand at the last moment. The designer, however, persuaded the rebel to release him, claiming that the Empire's pursuit of him would result in the loss of many lives. Defying Jarrus's orders, Orrelios ultimately released Ryall, who landed safely on a railing below.
Dron Ryall's name is a tribute to Chris Ryall, the Chief Creative Officer and Editor-in-Chief at IDW Publishing. The character made his debut in the comic "Secrets of Sienar", which was published in Star Wars Rebels Magazine 13, and he reappeared in the non-canonical comic "The Ryall Defection" from LEGO Star Wars 38. Martin Fisher penned both of these narratives. Within "The Ryall Defection", Ryall abandons the Empire, making his escape from an Imperial base situated on Mertes with assistance from Leia Organa and Chewbacca, ultimately aligning himself with the Alliance to Restore the Republic.