Summary: Drone prison threats are rising as drones drop drugs, weapons, and phones—posing major risks and outpacing traditional prison security defenses.

Correctional leaders face a constant battle to limit the flow of contraband into prison facilities.

Traditionally, contraband has been smuggled into prisons by visitors, “throw-overs”, through the mail, and even by corrections staff. As soon as one delivery method is stopped, criminal organizations immediately find new methods and technologies to meet illicit demand.

Drones and Prison Contraband

As a result, drones are increasingly used to deliver large quantities of contraband into correctional facilities because they provide smugglers with speed, efficiency, and the ability to remain anonymous.

Since state and local corrections departments are not authorized to mitigate or intercept drones, their efforts to stem the tide of contraband rely on consistent identification of, and swift response to, drone incursions.

Contraband introduced into prisons ranges from nuisance items such as snacks, hair cream and cash to dangerous items such as drugs, phones, escape tools and weapons that compromise inmate and corrections officer safety.

How are Drones Used to Compromise Prison Security?

Smugglers find it fairly straightforward to use drones to deliver contraband into prisons.Sometimes drone pilots find contraband delivery jobs on Craigslist.

Smugglers purchase a drone and equip it with a payload release mechanism attachment, readily available online for less than $40. The attachment consists of a simple mechanism that retains the package until the pilot activates the unit’s remote control to release the payload.

The amount of contraband that can be delivered depends on the specific drone’s payload capacity, flight distance and flight conditions.

Mini drones such as the DJI Mini 2 have a payload of .5 pounds and a stated battery life of 31 minutes.  In reality, however, the flight time drops to around 5 minutes when flown at full speed.

Hobby drones, the next size up, have payload capacities ranging from about 0.4 pounds for the DJI Mavic Pro, to around 7.5 pounds for the DJI Inspire 2, and up to 13 pounds for the DJI Matrice 600.

Professional drones move closer to the heavy lift category. For example, the DJI Matrice 600 Pro and OnyxStar HYDRA-12 can exceed payload capacities of 15 pounds.

Once the desired payload has been determined, the operator simply calculates the capacity and flight time to ensure a successful contraband drop. 

With extra batteries, the operator can fly multiple missions in an hour.

The operator will position themselves in an inconspicuous location near the correctional facility that will support the number of deliveries desired, ensure the battery won’t die mid-operation, and, of course, provide a fast exit route if discovered.

Where the operator drops the contraband inside the facility will be coordinated with the inmate in charge of the operation. Operators can drop the package in a remote corner of the yard at night, and the intended inmate or corrupt staff will know to go straight there.

Corrections officers conduct sweeps before inmate release, but those patrols have varying efficacy. If the intended recipient does not get to the contraband first, then fights may ensue to control the contraband’s distribution within the facility. With well-trained pilots, drone deliveries can also be coordinated to drop the package directly into an inmate’s hands in broad daylight to ensure accurate delivery.

While the premise of drone-borne contraband is simple, the mechanics of flying a garbage bag full of contraband by drone are actually quite challenging. The added weight often causes erratic drone behavior, especially in windy conditions. It also drains the battery faster than a pilot may expect. As a result, drones and their payloads can crash onto roofs, into fences, or become tangled in tree branches—sometimes never making it out of the woods where they are flown.

A successful drone operator positions the drop over the delivery area, releases the contraband, and flies back for a rapid getaway or additional delivery flights. Operations may include multiple drone pilots for simultaneous or consecutive deliveries or decoy or lookout drones to watch for response unit activity on-site or even at the warden’s residence or local law enforcement offices.

Conclusion - Drones and Prison

It’s simply not enough to rely on training corrections officers to spot incoming drones. The truth is, drones are often confused with birds, planes, or other aircraft and can pretty quickly introduce harmful contraband. Pilots tape the lights at night to fly undetected.  

One of the primary objectives of a drone detection system is to prevent contraband deliveries. A system that offers a high-confidence level alert of drone and pilot location, no matter the manufacturer, can prompt appropriate prison actions, such as prison lockdowns. Swift and consistent response serves as a deterrent for criminals attempting contraband deliveries.