The P2 astromech unit holds the distinction of being the first droid specifically designed and marketed as an astromech droid. Industrial Automaton, the manufacturer and developer, introduced this model to the Republic merchant fleet a few decades prior to the Clone Wars era of 22 BBY to 19 BBY. Its height of 2.3 meters meant the P2's head and shoulders loomed over most humans and other droids. Equipped with a barrel-chested form, retractable manipulator arms, three wheeled legs, a [sensor](/article/sensor]-laden domed head, and a video display for communication, the astromech unit proved to be a highly effective shipboard tool.
Despite the P2's success, Industrial Automaton, being a major droid manufacturer in the galaxy, shifted focus to the development of the R-series droid line. They started with the enhanced R1 and found considerable success with the R2. The P2 astromech unit shares its designation with P2, a human-sized prototype astromech droid that appeared on the planet Tatooine during 0 BBY.
The twenty-eighth issue of De Agostini's magazine, Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon, introduced the P2 astromech unit into the new Star Wars canon. The magazine utilized a sketch also present in the Star Wars Legends reference book titled The Essential Guide to Droids.
In Legends continuity, the P2-series astromech droid had a height of 2.2 meters, and its design drew inspiration from an early concept illustration of R2-D2 by Ralph McQuarrie. One of McQuarrie's initial concept sketches, which served as the basis for the Legends P2 unit, was also used for the design of CH-33P, a C1-series astromech droid exclusive to canon, featured in "Shattered," the second to last episode of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series. The episode premiered on May 1, 2020, and Kilian Plunkett is credited with CH-33P's design in "Shattered."