Pechanga Resort & Casino has a couple of new high-tech machines, and they aren’t part of the resort’s gaming collection. The Temecula resort added two security robots in July to enhance safety at the property.

One, named “Buddy,” resembles a giant R2-D2 combined with a Roomba that glides around the hotel lobby and atrium floor, constantly filming and surveying the scene, including concert-goers waiting in line to enter Pechanga Summit. The other, named “Rudy,” sits stationary outside of the main casino valet entrance.

A guest checks out Pechanga Resort & Casino’s new security robot Buddy at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula. (Photo by Frank Bellino, contributing photographer)

The new roaming security robot at Pechanga Resort & Casino. (Frank Bellino, Contributing Photographer)

Sound The gallery will resume in seconds

New security robot “Buddy” at Pechanga Resort & Casino. (Frank Bellino, Contributing Photographer)

The stationary security robot at Pechanga Resort & Casino. (Frank Bellino, Contributing Photographer)

The new stationary security robot, “Rudy” at Pechanga Resort & Casino. (Frank Bellino, Contributing Photographer)



“I had been looking for ways to increase visibility and security on the property,” said Robert Krauss, Pechanga’s vice president of public safety. “If we are not leaders in the industry we will fall behind and the one place not to fall behind in is security.”

Like many casinos, Pechanga has no shortage of surveillance cameras as well as a fleet of security staff keeping a close eye on every aspect of the property. With the robots, surveillance is brought down to eye-level.

“Most cameras give us an overview,” Krauss said. “Now we are seeing things from a different perspective.”

On a recent afternoon, casino guests who were passing through the large atrium near the hotel lobby stopped and stared at the moving robot while others took photos with Buddy.

“When I first saw it, I was like, ‘What is that?’” said Mary Casamale, a Mississippi resident who was checking out of the hotel. “I see that it says public safety on it, so I guess it makes me feel safer even though I don’t know what it does.”

Another guest noticed it and wandered over to get a closer look while she was on FaceTime with her sister.

“It’s quite interesting to see and it kind of reminds me of the ‘I, Robot’ movie,” Corona resident Lori Terry said. “It seems like it has good views of the surroundings at a lower level than the ceiling cameras.”

Both robots were designed by the Silicon Valley-based company Knightscope.

The roaming one continuously films and transmits 360-degree high definition video and audio along with photos which are streamed to the resort’s security dispatch center 24 hours a day,. It also has thermal imaging technology and license plate recognition. The stationary robot has similar functions.

“As of late people are talking about active shooter situations and how to bring those situations to some form of resolution,” Stacy Stephens, executive vice president of Knightscope, said in a phone interview. “Instead of putting someone in harm’s way, we can potentially send in a robot to communicate with a threat or even help with a benign situation like someone in distress.”

Stephens said one of the company’s robots helped identify three suspects in a smash-and-grab robbery at a store while others have assisted in helping people in parking garages who were having trouble finding their vehicles.

Robots are being added to other types of businesses to do things that employees also do. In San Gabriel new robots have been added to help at the Sheraton Los Angeles San Gabriel Hotel, while a burger making robot named Flippy is in service at Caliburger in Pasadena.

As of press time, Twin Arrows Casino Resort in Arizona is the only other casino in the country with a Knightscope security robot.

Krauss said the security robots have been a huge hit and he plans to get five more stationary ones to post up at every entrance at Pechanga as well as a smaller roving one that will take the place of Buddy, which will be assigned to patrol the new parking structure.

“With what happened at the mass shooting in Las Vegas, we have to be on the cutting edge of safety,” Krauss said. “If people feel safe, they will keep coming back.”