Ringneck recon droid
The Ringneck recon droid, alternatively known as the Viper recon droid or the Separatist probe droid, represented a model of probe droid that was produced by Arakyd Industries. The Confederacy of Independent Systems utilized it extensively during the Clone Wars. These droids existed in various sizes, with a particularly formidable version safeguarding the Separatist fortress located on Lola Sayu.
Description
Throughout the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems employed the Ringneck recon droid. These probe droids were generally built for covert operations, gathering intelligence on adversaries and transmitting information to their commanders. Their roles encompassed reconnaissance, infiltration, and surveillance during their assignments. Integrated blasters enabled them to engage in combat situations. Arakyd Industries was responsible for their manufacture, and they were available in different dimensions.
The Ringneck recon droid, also referred to as the Viper recon droid, stood out as one of the most intimidating iterations of probe droids. With a height exceeding 1.65 meters, the Ringneck featured a prominent, spherical central photoreceptor along with several smaller ones distributed across the probe droid's primary structure. The Separatists consistently deployed this droid against the Galactic Republic throughout the Clone Wars. Subsequently, the Republic's successor, the Galactic Empire, utilized the droid against the Spectres rebel faction on the planet Lothal.
Another version involved a compact probe droid configuration equipped with a retractable primary photoreceptor mounted on its body. The Confederacy also made use of this model during the Clone Wars.
History
During the Clone Wars, on the world of Maridun, a newly established Separatist command center dispatched diminutive Separatist probe droids during the Neimoidian Lok Durd's expedition to the planet for experiments involving his defoliator superweapon. Later in the conflict, at the Citadel prison situated on Lola Sayu, the Separatists deployed the smaller variant alongside the larger Ringneck recon droids.
Following the Battle of Dathomir, a different, smaller variant on Dathomir observed Morgan Elsbeth, Nali, and two witches from the Mountain Clan as they searched for armaments.
In the aftermath of the Clone Wars, during the Imperial Era, the Galactic Empire employed the droid on the occupied world of Lothal. There, the probe droid conducted patrols of Imperial facilities alongside smaller sentry droids and TIE fighters.
Behind the scenes
The Separatist probe droid made its initial appearance in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "Defenders of Peace." It was subsequently featured in the early-2015 mobile game Star Wars Rebels: Recon Missions, where it was simply labeled as a "Probe Droid." The 2015 reference publication, Star Wars Rebels: Visual Guide: Epic Battles, identifies the larger droid version as the Viper recon droid.