ATLANTA — Robotic security dogs are growing in popularity around metro Atlanta, according to the founder of a company producing the devices.

Bryan Dinner, founder and CEO of Undaunted Robotic Securities, says the robotic dogs are being used at apartment complexes in DeKalb County and downtown Atlanta, particularly at properties struggling with occupancy.

“We provide a lower cost and more effective solution to help them secure the property and make them safer for tenants; oftentimes we’re coming in when they’re at 40 and 60 percent occupancy,” Dinner said.

Dinner says human operators control the robots and send them to communicate with a person in question on a property.

“The human will operate it, get it to the person and say ‘hey that’s not allowed on this property,’ and so they can have a communication through the dog with the person,” he said.

He says the approach has led to a dramatic decrease in crime in areas where the robotic dogs are used.

“You can stop a crime before it happens; so it’s a more effective proactive solution than what exists today,” Dinner said.

Dinner says the service costs about half the price of a full-time human security officer and does a better job.

He says if something suspicious happens, an alert goes out and the dogs respond.

Dinner says he expects the use of the robotic dogs to expand. He says one apartment complex in DeKalb County increased occupancy from 40% to 96% after deploying the robotic dogs.

WSB Radio’s Sabrina Cupit contributed to this story.