OOM pilot battle droids, also called B1 pilot battle droids, represented a specific variant within the OOM-series battle droid line. These battle droid units were deployed by the Trade Federation, and subsequently by the Confederacy of Independent Systems throughout the duration of the Clone Wars. To differentiate them from standard models, pilot battle droids featured distinctive blue patterns on their chassis. They were a common sight on the starships of both the Trade Federation and the Confederacy.
The purpose of OOM pilot battle droids was to function as pilots, operating starships like the cruisers belonging to the Confederacy navy. Besides piloting duties, these droids could also serve as gunners for artillery or, when equipped with a blaster, as [soldiers](/article/soldier], although they were known to express dissatisfaction with being assigned to these roles.
Belonging to the OOM-series, pilot battle droids were a specialized version of the B1-series battle droid. The pilot droid's blue coloring served as an identifier for their specialized role, even though standard B1 units were also present on starship bridges. Nevertheless, the cognitive abilities of pilot droids surpassed those of standard B1 infantry units.
OOM-series battle droids were employed as crew members on Trade Federation vessels. They were utilized in the Federation's Lucrehulk-class Battleships during the Invasion of Naboo. Following the dispersal of most of the Naboo blockade, the Droid Control Ship Vuutun Palaa remained as the sole battleship in orbit. However, all pilot droids and Neimoidians aboard met their death when Anakin Skywalker destroyed the Droid Control Ship in the Battle of Naboo.
When the Trade Federation transferred its Droid Army to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Separatists also began using OOM pilot droids. Viceroy Nute Gunray and Rune Haako were accompanied by two OOM pilot battle droids as they boarded a Sheathipede-class transport shuttle to escape the First Battle of Geonosis, which marked the beginning of the Clone Wars. As the shuttle initiated its departure, the pilot droids and the organic Separatists in the vicinity moved away. During the mission to sweep outer corridor of space, an OOM pilot battle droid was stationed aboard General Grievous's Munificent-class star frigate, where it famously disagreed with Grievous's decision to deploy all starfighters against Anakin Skywalker. The launch of the fighters was intended to engage the Jedi Knight.
During the infiltration of the Citadel, the Republic utilized three reprogrammed B1 battle droids, painted blue to impersonate pilot droids, to pilot shuttle 81572 and transport an extraction team to the Citadel prison. These three units ultimately gave their lives to protect their Republic allies, including their commanding officer, R2-D2. As the Separatists seized control of the Venator-class Star Destroyer Renown, four OOM pilot battle droids piloted the vessel from the bridge, while the officer corps and the overseer super tactical droid ordered the Republic droids to surrender or face destruction. Two additional OOM pilot battle droids were stationed in the control room above the hangar. The OOM pilot battle droids on the bridge were setting a course for the space station Valor in the Carida system, the location of the Republic strategy conference, with the intention of detonating rhydonium canisters to destroy the Republic fleet.
The Separatists continued to employ OOM pilot battle droids throughout the Clone Wars. They were present aboard the Invisible Hand during the Battle of Coruscant. When Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi boarded the dreadnought, General Grievous instructed the pilots to remain focused on the ship's operation rather than engaging the Jedi Generals. As Grievous abandoned his command ship and it began its descent onto Coruscant, the pilot battle droids and Neimoidian officers on the bridge attempted to escape, but several pilot droids were slain by Kenobi and Skywalker. Shortly thereafter, at the end of the war, Skywalker, now known as the Sith Lord Darth Vader, eliminated the Separatist Council and deactivated all Separatist droid units.
During the Age of the Resistance, a surviving B1 battle droid named R0-GR authored the book "droidography." Among the various droids he discussed in the book were the B1 pilot battle droids.
OOM pilot droids were capable of using E-5 blaster rifles when deployed for field combat. Some units also carried comlink booster packs. On starships, pilot droids operated computers.
OOM pilot battle droids made their debut in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, and their identification was later clarified in the novel Tarkin, penned by James Luceno. In Star Wars Battlefront II, pilot droids became playable characters through the "B1 Pilot Bundle" DLC pack.
In the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "A Necessary Bond," several OOM pilot droids are shown wielding E-5 blaster rifles during the invasion of Florrum, yet the subsequent shot depicts at least two of these pilots as standard B1 units. This suggested that pilot droids could be deployed with blasters in surface combat, a detail later reinforced by Star Wars Battlefront II.
The 2018 reference book Star Wars: Complete Vehicles includes OOM pilot droids in its entries for the Multi-Troop Transport and the Armored Assault Tank. However, the placement of their blue markings varies slightly between pages and from Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, leaving it unclear whether this subtle color variation is intended as a canon appearance or simply an error.
The magazine Star Wars: Build Your Own R2-D2 31 asserts that OOM pilot battle droids were "often" identified by their blue markings. Consequently, the magazine claims that unmarked battle droids observed in piloting positions are, in fact, OOM pilot battle droids lacking blue markings. However, numerous other sources explicitly state that OOM pilot battle droids are consistently identified by their blue markings to distinguish them from standard B1s. Furthermore, it visibly distinguishes OOM pilots from other specialized B1 variants and openly shows their specific purpose. Therefore, the unmarked B1 units seen at piloting stations are likely standard B1s assigned to piloting duties, indicating a degree of functional overlap between regular B1s and OOM pilot battle droids.