Espionage droid

A MerenData espionage droid.

Espionage droids were droids that, to all outward appearances, resembled a standard droid model, but had hidden programming and equipment used to record information and relay it to the droid's owner. While anyone could stick a recording device into a droid, it required a professional to design an espionage droid which could get past the various security measures typically guarding against such intelligence-gathering. Manufacturing espionage droids was therefore limited to top-secret groups operating as part of larger organizations, such as the Galactic Empire and New Republic.

Overview

Technically espionage droids could look like any of the thousands of different models which existed in the galaxy, though the most successful could pass off as one of the more common models which most individuals would never give a second thought upon seeing. For example MerenData produced an espionage droid using the frame of a Cybot Galactica 3PO-series protocol droid, which proved highly effective due to the widespread use of 3PO units across the galaxy as diplomats and interpreters. Arakyd Industries also produced a highly successful espionage droid for the Empire, the RA-7 protocol droid, which was refitted by the Imperial Security Bureau to function as espionage droids equipped with recording devices and surveillance equipment, including sensor jammers disguised as weld marks.

Variations on the typical espionage droid included models like the RM-2020 espionage droid, which was not designed to infiltrate polite society but for battlefield intelligence gathering.

Notable droids

• BL-17
• Imperial espionage droid
• R-3PO
• RM-2020 espionage droid
• R3-S6
• TC-SC infiltration droid
• IR-9X Replicator Droid

Appearances

• The Mandalorian Armor (First appearance)
• Slave Ship (Mentioned only)
• Hard Merchandise (Mentioned only)
• "Den of Spies" – Twin Stars of Kira
• Dark Force Rising (Mentioned only)
• Specter of the Past

Sources

• The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook (As "Espionage Droid")
• Dark Force Rising Sourcebook
• Wanted by Cracken
• Galaxy Guide 10: Bounty Hunters
• The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook, Second Edition
• Cracken's Rebel Operatives
• Galladinium's Fantastic Technology
• The Kathol Outback
• "Cracken's Rebel Field Guide: Slicing Aids" – Star Wars Adventure Journal 10
• The Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook
•  Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Hoth Limited (Card: R-3PO (Ar-Threepio)) (no backup available)
• Cynabar's Fantastic Technology: Droids
• Star Wars: Rebellion: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
• The Essential Guide to Droids ("Espionage Droid")