An IG-227 Hailfire-class droid tank
The designation droid tank, alternatively called a tank droid, was applied to any tank variant that functioned autonomously, without a living organic crew. Functioning in a manner akin to droid starfighters, their operational capacity was facilitated by a droid brain. These could function either autonomously or via remote control via a tactical computer. This operational mode was similar to standard battle droids and their starfighter counterparts. Across galactic history, from the era of the Old Sith Wars to the Yuuzhan Vong War, droids of the tank variety saw widespread deployment throughout the galaxy.
One example of a tank droid is the XR-85 tank droid from Arakyd Industries, which was developed during the Galactic Civil War. The XR-85 tank prototype was engineered before Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign waged by the Imperial forces against the New Republic. The original iteration of the prototype proved too costly for mass production. Following a year of refinement by Imperial engineers, a contract was formalized to commence mass production of this enhanced model. Initially conceived for quelling civil disturbances on Imperial planets, the XR-85's demonstrated such impressive capabilities that they were redeployed to the front lines as a vital element of the Empire's military arsenal. The inclusion of a droid brain as the driving force behind the XR-85's functionality only amplified its already considerable capabilities. This tracked vehicle was approximately 32 meters in length and exceeded 30 meters in height, effectively doubling the size of an AT-AT walker. While its maximum speed was 70 kilometers per hour, its resilience was almost unmatched. The primary armament consisted of a forward-facing heavy particle cannon, boasting a range of 5 kilometers and the capacity to obliterate fortified bunkers with a single blast. Supporting this main weapon were two forward-firing turbo-blasters. Additionally, it featured four heavy repeating blasters: two directed forward and two to the rear. The XR-85 distinguished itself as the most successful droid-controlled tank deployed during the Galactic Civil War. Its pirated Industrial Automaton R7 droid brain was considered cutting-edge technology, even incorporating intuitive programming. Despite the inherent limitations compared to a living pilot, its performance surpassed that of comparable automated war machines.