We've seen our fair share of Raspberry Pi-powered RC cars before — we've even come across a few tanks. But this is one of the most unique Pi-powered RC tanks we've covered yet. The mastermind over at the YouTube channel Kahosh RC and AI Tech has created this cool remote-controlled tank robot that shoots bubbles at unsuspecting targets.
This bubble blasting RC tank robot integrates one of our favorite SBCs, the Raspberry Pi, specifically the Raspberry Pi 4. According to Kahosh, this Pi is used primarily for machine learning and other AI features. That said, it also works in tandem with an Arduino Nano module (a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 could also be used. ) This is a useful board for handling the physical aspects of the tank so the Pi can be used for more in depth AI processing.
We should clarify about the tank design as this particular build uses four wheels instead of tank treads. However, it's still very tank-like in how it operates and moves. The wheels move the body of the tank while the top cabin (or in this case, bubble station) can move freely around to shoot targets. The bubble tank is controlled by a Hot RC brand RC controller which not only covers the movement of the tank but also triggers when the bubbles launch.
The top of the tank has been designed with a special compartment for the bubble solution and a hose to siphon the liquid to the blowing mechanism. A fan pushes air through a spinning bubble wand ring to release the barrage of bubbles. In the demo video, we get a good look at the Arduino Nano which has a great deal of jumper wires attached, likely for the servos that control the movement of the tank.
The Raspberry Pi 4 is, according to Kahosh, intended to handle the machine learning part of the project. With the power of a Raspberry Pi 5, and the AI HAT, we wonder how much faster this robot could track its human targets?
If you want to get a closer look at this Raspberry Pi project in action, you can check it out over at YouTube. We also have a neat story about how a Raspberry Pi restored a 50 year old tank simulator from the 1970s if Raspberry Pi-related tank projects are your thing.
