Council Votes to Approve Autonomous Robot Addition to Airport Security Team

If all goes to plan, the K5 robot is expected to start in its limited role sometime in the next two months.

A five-foot tall K5 security robot patrols the grounds of the Washington Harbour retail-residential center in the Georgetown district of Washington, D.C., on July 26, 2017. Similar robots, produced by the California tech startup Knightscope, are intended to assist in crime prevention and law enforcement. They are equipped with a 360-degree camera, thermal imaging, automatic license plate recognition, directional microphones, proximity sensors and other technology. Their "anomaly detection software" is designed to determine if there is a threat, and alert appropriate authorities. / AFP PHOTO / Rob Lever / TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY Rob LEVER "Mishap doesn't dampen enthusiasm for security robots" Photo credit should read ROB LEVER/AFP via Getty Images

San Antonio International Airport’s security team is about to get a new member, an autonomous security robot known as the K5 model, which will respond to alarms at improperly opened doors in secure areas, as required by regulation.

During a vote at a Feb. 22 San Antonio City Council meeting, the motion to trial a $21,000 per year contract subscription to the robot from California-based company Knightscope passed 7-3.