Tracked robots are robots that use their tracks to move on terrain instead of wheels like tanks. This locomotion method eases the problems that wheeled robots have in rough terrain with obstacles. Tracked robots also have advantages over their wheeled counterparts in soft or slippery terrains. Since there is a large contact area between the tracks and terrain, robot weight is distributed on a larger area than the wheeled robots and tracked robots can move on muddy or snowy terrains without sinking like their wheeled alternatives. For that reason tracked robots have higher load tolerances than wheeled robots.
Tracked robots have some disadvantages due to the tracking mechanism. Firstly, tracking mechanism is a high cost unit and it causes the basic cost of the robot to get higher. Besides the cost, track mechanism is very complex and it needs regular maintenance which lowers operation time. Since they are not simple parts like wheels they break more frequently.
Tracked robots control their orientation with differential steering method like four wheeled robots. Problems like wheel slippage and position offset are not encountered as frequently as wheeled robots using the same method because the contact surface between the tracks and the terrain is larger than wheeled robots.