Homeland Security Testing Out Robot Dogs To Patrol The Southern Border

The Department of Homeland Security revealed that it has been testing out robot dogs to help agents patrol the border. The four-legged robots were tasked with various surveillance roles as part of a test by the agency's Science and Technology Directorate.

The mechanical dogs are made by Ghost Robotics and can traverse "all types of natural terrain including sand, rocks, and hills, as well as human-built environments, like stairs." They are capable of operating autonomously and can also be controlled manually by a human operator.

The robots are fully customizable and can be equipped with a variety of cameras and sensors based on their specific mission.

"The southern border can be an inhospitable place for man and beast, and that is exactly why a machine may excel there," S&T program manager, Brenda Long, said in a blog post. "This S&T-led initiative focuses on Automated Ground Surveillance Vehicles, or what we call 'AGSVs.' Essentially, the AGSV program is all about…robot dogs."

Officials said that the tests, which have been going on for over two years, were "successful" but have not detailed plans to deploy them to the border.

"After the successful completion of the use-case scenarios (that confirmed real-world capabilities), the robot dog work will continue with S&T leading the way. So, don't be surprised if in the future we see robot 'Fido' out in the field, walking side-by-side with CBP personnel," the agency said.