Robot dogs are increasingly being deployed in industrial and commercial security applications, but a recent incident in Atlanta showed how quickly the technology is moving into real-world law enforcement support roles.
According to a report by Atlanta News First, robotic security dogs helped track and corner two suspects accused of breaking into vehicles at the Columbia Crest Apartments in the city’s West Midtown district.
Security cameras reportedly captured the suspects entering the apartment complex parking garage on May 21 before the robotic patrol systems responded automatically.
One robot reportedly followed the fleeing suspects while another alerted the Atlanta Police Department, officers of which arrived shortly afterward.
“These thieves tried to get away from the robot,” said Undaunted CEO Bryan Dinner. “What they didn’t know is that there are three robots on this property.”
Police allegedly caught one suspect while he was fleeing. According to the report, another suspect was tracked by the robots to a trash compactor area within the property.
“Which is a good place to hide, I guess?” Dinner said jokingly.
Growing use of robotic security
The robots were deployed by Undaunted, which specializes in robotic patrol systems for residential and commercial properties.
Dinner said the company is targeting locations struggling with crime and safety concerns.
“There’s an affordable housing crisis, and a good number of properties have low occupancy because they’re not safe,” he said.
The company has reportedly deployed robotic systems at more than three dozen properties across the Atlanta region over the past year and is now considering expansion into additional markets.
“There isn’t a technology system out there that can do what we did,” Dinner said.
The Columbia Crest Apartments complex is described as an affordable housing community.
Residents quoted by Atlanta News First said the robotic systems had received a positive response since installation earlier this year.
“I love it,” one resident said during a public demonstration.
Another resident, identified as Shelica, reportedly witnessed the arrests connected to the attempted vehicle break-ins.
“He got him!” she said. “They made the guy stand still. I was like, ‘What the hell!’”
Robots assist but do not engage physically
According to the report, the robotic systems are capable of:
- autonomous patrols;
- suspect tracking;
- live monitoring; and
- communication with police.
However, the robots are not armed and are not designed to physically confront suspects.
“We are never going to put offensive weapons on our robots,” Dinner said.
Laurel Hart, vice president of asset management at Columbia Residential, said the systems provide visibility in areas difficult for conventional surveillance systems to cover.
“They can go behind bushes and into areas that, generally, our monitoring controls don’t reach,” Hart said.
Security robotics has become an increasingly active segment within the broader robotics industry as advances in artificial intelligence, computer vision and autonomous navigation make continuous robotic patrols more commercially viable.
