At the GE Lofts in Castleberry Hill, residents say a four-foot-tall robotic "dog" now works the night shift around the complex. Tenants say the unit recently scared off a man who forced his way onto the lot. The machines are run by a remote monitoring team and pack cameras, a siren and two-way audio that are meant to stop trespassers before a situation escalates. Property managers and the company behind the units say the goal is prevention and lower-cost coverage compared with traditional overnight guards.
At GE Lofts, managers have two robots in rotation: one that patrols inside the gated lot and another that circles the perimeter, and tenants say the devices are already changing behavior. "They brought the dog out, and he immediately left; it was pretty cool," one resident told FOX 5 Atlanta. Founder Bryan Dinner told the station that human operators can take control of a unit, speak through the robot and notify police when necessary.
How the patrol dogs operate
According to the company, the units rely on thermal and wide-angle cameras, automated navigation, two-way audio and a 120-decibel alarm, then return to modular charging stations between patrols. A certified remote monitoring center verifies alerts before robots are dispatched, and operators can step in and intervene in real time. As detailed by Undaunted, the platform connects sensor networks, perimeter cameras and live humans so robots are sent out only after a person has confirmed an issue.
Where they’re rolling out
Undaunted and local property managers say the devices are already working at apartment complexes, construction sites and retail properties across DeKalb County and downtown Atlanta. Company representatives and local reports say the service runs at roughly half the cost of a full-time security officer, and at least one property has reported a marked bump in occupancy after installing the robots. As reported by WSB Radio, founder Bryan Dinner said he expects the footprint to expand quickly.
Backed by investors and scaling fast
Investors are also taking notice. In February, Atlanta Ventures announced that it has backed Undaunted, praising the startup's rapid deployments since early 2025 and its plan to scale proactive security across the region. The company’s marketing touts thousands of patrols and partnerships with property managers, which suggests strong early commercial traction. As noted by Atlanta Ventures, backers see robotics and remote operations as cheaper, preventive alternatives to traditional guarding.
Privacy and oversight concerns
Not everyone is thrilled with the tradeoffs. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that civil-liberties experts describe these machines as a "powerful bundle of surveillance technologies" that can monitor non-criminal activity and make people uneasy. Developers and property operators argue that live human monitoring, limited data retention and site-specific policies help reduce risks, but privacy advocates counter that clearer public notice and stronger oversight are needed as mobile surveillance spreads. Readily available footage and automated sensors are complicating long-standing questions about where and how surveillance should be used.
What residents say
Managers and tenants say the presence of the robots is already changing behavior and making some residents feel safer. "They're out and alert when we're sleeping in bed, and protecting our things; so far, it's a win-win," one resident told FOX 5 Atlanta. Video coverage from WSB-TV shows a unit moving along a gated perimeter and the remote team that can take control. For now, the rollout appears to be driven by property owners and investors who want proactive, lower-cost deterrence, but the debate over surveillance and public oversight is likely to follow as these machines become more common.
