6 Raspberry Pi Robot Kits For Every Skill Level

Robotics is a fascinating field that has come a long way in recent years. What was once cutting-edge and prohibitively expensive for consumer-grade projects has rapidly become accessible to the hobby and DIY communities. The Barobo Mobot, for instance, is a cheap modular robot kit that's great for entry-level builders. Other examples of this are the projects that are powered by Raspberry Pi's miniature computers. These small form-factor single-board PCs are extremely popular among makers of all kinds for several reasons. They're compact, they won't break the bank, they have several underrated features and upgrades, and their open-source license has given users access to an ever-growing of programs and engineering blueprints for all kinds of projects–including robots.

In fact, there are several robot kits that you can purchase that are designed specifically for Raspberry Pi integration. Some of them are easy to assemble and make an excellent option for robo-enthusiasts of any level, while others are more complex and might be better suited to those with a bit more experience.

One of the best ways to determine the difficulty level of one of these projects is to look at the steps you need to take to assemble the robot and the programming level required to make it operational. It's also good to take some time to look at user reviews from those who have previously decided to use the kit and see what they have to say about its difficulty.

Starting off with one of the highest-reviewed robots on Amazon, we have the SunFounder PiCar-X. There are a lot of different car-focused robots out there, as they are one of the simpler and more efficient designs to create and operate. This makes them an excellent place to start for someone who is new to robotics, but it could also be a fun project for a more experienced engineer.

The PiCar-X has a camera and microphone integrated into its design and Chat GPT 4o built into its software, giving it a wide range of unique AI-powered functions. "PiCar-X with ChatGPT-4o enables voice interactions and visual recognition, making it smarter and more responsive," says SunFounder. Users can chat, do math and otherwise interact with it. It also has line following and obstacle avoidance capabilities, and it knows Python and Scratch programming languages.

The robot has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Amazon. "This PiCarX is going to be a great project for my 9 [year old] son and me," wrote one reviewer. "It comes with everything you need to complete it, except a Raspberry Pi, which you have to purchase separately." The PiCar-X is compatible with the Pi 5, 4, 3B, 3B+, and Zero 2 W.

Next up, we have the Freenove 4WD Smart car. This is an intermediate project that would make an excellent choice for enthusiasts who've got some practice with robotics and computer software. The Freenove model has a lot of features that help set it apart despite its simple design. The car has four wheels and a rotating camera head.  It features pan-tilt, real-time video, face tracking, line tracking, light tracing, obstacle avoidance, RGB, and a buzzer. The car is controlled by an app that you can download on a computer or a mobile device.

The basic kit doesn't include a battery or the Raspberry Pi itself. Those are purchased separately. It's compatible with the Pi 5, 4B, 3B+, 3B, and 3A+ out of the box, though it can be made to be compatible with the Pi 2B, B+, A+, Zero 1.3, and Zero W with the purchase of additional hardware. It will also need two 3.7V 18650 rechargeable batteries and a suitable charger.

This is one of higher-reviewed Raspberry Pi robots on Amazon. It has a 4.3 out of 5 stars, with reviewers praising its value and design, but with a more mixed response to its ease of assembly and functionality. "You should [be very comfortable] with computers and computer hardware parts," wrote one reviewer. "Troubleshooting experience will come [in handy,] especially with Linux operating system – you must be comfortable with Linux terminal and various commands. Medium-level Python programming skills will make this project easier."

Freenove makes a few different Raspberry Pi-powered kits and another one worth considering is the Big Hexapod Robot. Wheels may be fast, efficient, and practical for robotics, but they aren't the most interesting form of mobility out there. This robot has six legs that it can use to scuttle about on the floor.

The Big Hexipod has multiple walking modes, allowing it to walk in straight lines or curve and balance on uneven surfaces. It has the same real-time video functionality as the car, with face recognition and ultrasonic ranging as well as an auto rest feature, RGB, and a buzzer. It doesn't come with a Pi, but is compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5, 4B, 3B+, 3B, and 3A+ out of the box and can be made to be compatible with the 2B, B+, A+, Zero 1.3, and Zero W with the purchase of extra parts. It also requires the separate purchase of four 3.7V 18650 rechargeable batteries.

This little guy has a 4.4 out of 5 on Amazon, with most reviewers claiming that it is designed well, fun to build, and made from quality parts. Unsurprisingly, the chief complaint was from users who struggled with mobility when they couldn't get the leg servos to move correctly. Others were pleased with the movement, however. "It's fast," Mediaboxent Lab stated in its review. "I was surprised how fast this thing moved."

There are quite a few robots out there modeled after man's best friend. There's one from Freenove and one from Elecfreaks, but the SunFounder PiDog is one of the best kits for those who are still learning. It's also one of the more creatively designed, aesthetically pleasing models.

The PiDog "features 12 servos and sensors for vision, hearing, and touch, says SunFounder. "Integrated with ChatGPT-4o, it responds to complex queries. With app control and FPV, users can manage PiDog and see its view in real-time. It supports Python programming and includes a rechargeable battery." It's also designed to perform 32 different pre-programmed "dog-like" actions. Not only can it walk and sit like a dog, but it can also wag its tail, scratch its ears, stretch out, and do tricks. It has a built-in speaker and that allows it to respond to audio, visual, and even touch cues. There are a variety of instructions, video tutorials, and technical support services available. The bot is compatible with the Raspberry Pi 4B, 3B+, 3B, and Zero 2W.

It has a 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Most users are impressed with the value, the clarity of the included instructions, and the quality of the software, while the biggest complaints were from users who didn't like the smaller parts and fasteners included in the kit.

Those looking to build something a bit more solid might prefer to pick up a project like the Yahboom Smart Tank. This bot has a much more rigid and durable structure than the others featured thus far.

This model is designed for use with the Raspberry Pi 4B. It has a blue aluminum chassis, utilizes thick tracks with metal couplings for mobility, and is powered by a 370 motor. This allows it to move forward, rotate, and climb inclines up to 60-degrees. It has real-time video transmission via an HD USB camera with 2DOF pan and tilt functionality that transmits over the Pi's 5G connectivity to an app. This can be used to control the tank on PC or via mobile. "It can also complete some AI recognition functions through the camera," says Yaboom. "Both expansion board and frame we are providing the corresponding extended interface, users can expand and use it according to the information provided by us."

The Smart Tank has a 3.8 out of 5 on Amazon. Customers loved the options for programming and found the tank to generally be fun and easy to build, though they suggested that this might be a bit complicated for a beginner. "I would not recommend this as a starting place in robotics or programming," wrote one reviewer. "No one is going to hold your hand here. But if you need a tracked vehicle with all the basic sensors to experiment with, this is the kit to buy!" While most reviews were positive, there were also a handful of people who reported issues with the Bluetooth connectivity and some were disappointed that the tank itself was smaller than they'd believed when they bought it.

Finally, we have the Makeblock mBot Ultimate 2.0. This is a 10-in-1 robot-building kit that allows you to design any one of a handful of different styles of robot from a single collection of over 160 components. You can build a robotic ram tank, a camera dolly, a robotic bartender, a catapult ram, a robot ant, one of two 3D capture rigs, a rolling tank, a self-balancing robot, or a detecting robot. You can also program them using one of three programming languages: Scratch, Arduino, and Python.

Each of these robots is powered by an included MegaPi control board, but their capabilities can be expanded into more advanced projects by adding either an Arduino or Raspberry Pi computer. According to MakeBlock, adding a "Raspberry Pi is an option to have better features on mBot Ultimate. It is not required, but you can use it to connect a Raspberry Pi camera or sensors and transfer data by serial communication." This makes the kit accessible to beginners, while simultaneously leaving plenty of room for more advanced roboticists to make their own, more advanced configurations.

This kit has a 4.3 out of 5 on Amazon. Most reviews liked the build quality and child-friendly design, while others were less impressed with the included instructions and overall value. "The Makeblock Ultimate 2.0 educational robot kit is a great platform for learning or creating robotics projects whether you study by yourself or learn in the classroom at school," said CNX Software in their review. "The structure is strong, durable, and colorful. The MegaPi control board can support a range of Makeblock modules or even off-the-shelf sensors bought from third parties."

In creating this list, we worked to find an array of easily-accessible robotics kits that were powered by Raspberry Pi computers. We wanted to provide a variety of options–featuring several types of robots that each had different feature sets and ranges of complexity for coders and engineers at every skill level.

To do this, we took a look at the models that were available from some of the biggest manufacturing names in the field. We started by narrowing the list down to those that were compatible with the Raspberry Pi platform and then further refined it by looking at both customer reviews and professional reviews where possible. We used these consumer reports to judge how approachable these kits were to those who were new to robotics and to check for the most common problems that users encountered during assembly and configuration.