ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A doglike robot that recently drew notice in the state Capitol and on social media is being tested to spook wildlife at Fairbanks International Airport while disguised as a coyote or fox, a state agency said.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities on Friday posted a short video on Instagram of the robo-dog. The agency named it Aurora, calling it the department's "new hire." The department explained in a caption that the robot would be based out of the Fairbanks airport where it would "enhance & augment airport safety and operations."

In the video, a headless, insect-like robot roughly the size of a large dog with a colorful exterior scrambles over rocks, climbs stairs and appears to dance, flashing green lights.

Not everyone who saw the post was a fan.

"We DO NOT want to see surveillance robot dogs here, even if they are chrome colored," one user commented.

"I've seen this episode of Black Mirror," another wrote, referencing a dystopian science fiction show that explores humanity's relationship with technology. "It doesn't end well."

The use of robots by government agencies has become more common but also has led to some skepticism and controversy. New York City's police department recently retired a 400-pound robot the agency had planned to use as a roving surveillance camera in the Times Square subway station, sparking many questions from privacy rights advocates. Portland Police last year rolled out an autonomous security robot for street surveillance. And the Anchorage Police Department has a robot it uses as part of its bomb squad.

In Alaska, remote technology is being used more broadly by state agencies to monitor earthquake and avalanche damage and road conditions; to respond more quickly to natural disasters; and to aid in search and rescue efforts, according to Ryan Marlow, a program manager with the Alaska Department of Transportation.

The Alaska Department of Public Safety has no plans to use robots as a surveillance or more general public safety tool in Alaska, agency spokesperson Austin McDaniel said.

Law enforcement agencies in the state currently use small drones or robots to help disable bombs and assist with search and rescue missions, but DPS has no plans to implement autonomous robots for other uses, McDaniel said.

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