The Brazilian government has bought 30 security robots to improve public safety during the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The government paid nearly $3.5 million for the small unmanned ground vehicles which can provide surveillance, bomb removal and other law-enforcement missions said USA Today.

The equipment being purchased by Brazil includes a type of multi-use robot "that has proven useful for a variety of law enforcement applications, including the inspection of potentially dangerous areas and objects, the removal of suspicious devices and the detection of chemical and explosive agents," according to iRobot.

The robots weigh about 60 pounds and are customizable to include a robotic arm and other feature. They are operated remotely with a small control unit that essentially is a ruggedized laptop with a game-style controller, said USA Today.

Brazil also plans to have between 3,000 and 5,000 soldiers in each of the 12 host cities during the World Cup, the first in Brazil since 1950. The 2016 Olympics in Rio will be the first in South America.