Harvester droids, which are also sometimes referred to as "droid pickers," represented a specific model of droid created for the purpose of crop harvesting. Despite their intended function, these droids proved to be quite unskilled in their agricultural tasks, employing harsh techniques that resulted in damage to the crops they were meant to gather.
As the Galactic Empire intensified its operations on Lothal, they acquired the jogan fruit orchards formerly belonging to Beck Ollet's family, compensating them handsomely with credits. Ollet experienced a shock when, accompanied by his companions Zare Leonis and Merei Spanjaf, he observed the harvester droids handling the crops carelessly, denuding the trees and leaving a trail of fractured limbs and deformed fruit scattered across the ground.