Pistoeka sabotage droid/Legends

At approximately .25 meter in diameter and well armed, these black and yellow spheres, known as buzz droids, were deployed in swarms for numerical superiority, wreaking havoc on starfighter squadrons. They were typically delivered by discord missiles from droid tri-fighters, Vulture droid starfighters, or both.

Buzz droids were intended to disable, not destroy, their targets, and since they were so effective on tri-fighters, the CIS retrofitted some Vulture droids to carry them.

The buzz droids also had simple maneuvering jets helping it move while in sphere mode. The outer shell was coated with a heat dissipating alloy allowing it to penetrate enemy shields, it was also made out of shock absorbing materials.

They apparently communicated through chattering, as shown when a group of buzz droids cut off R4-P17's dome head during the Second Battle of Coruscant.



During the Battle of Coruscant, Obi-Wan Kenobi's Jedi interceptor was covered in a swarm of buzz droids, which destroyed his astromech droid, R4-P17. His former Padawan, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, tried to save him by scrapping the buzz droids off. This only resulted in the loss of most of Obi-Wan's left wing.

However, a lone buzz droid came over to Anakin's interceptor. His astromech, R2-D2, destroyed the buzz droid by hitting it in its central eye with an electric pike. The buzz droid bounced over Anakin's fighter and was jetted away when it fell behind the engines.

Following the execution of the Separatist Council by Darth Sidious's new apprentice, Darth Vader, these units were de-activated.

Weapon systems


Although individual tools might vary for each mission, the little buzz droids that were used in the Battle of Coruscant carried the following weapons: drill heads, plasma cutting torches, circular saws, prying hooks, and picket and pincer arms. The buzz droids' three sensor eyes included multiple filters and X-ray sensors.

Darth Sidious provided the manufacturers of the buzz droid with design schematics of Republic starfighters for maximum efficiency. Several years later, the Yuuzhan Vong used a biot quite similar to the buzz droid, called a gretchin.

Behind the scenes

 * According to Starwars.com, the origins of the buzz droid point toward World War II legends: gremlins. The fiendish sprites were often described tearing apart fighter craft in flight.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith