Increase in Drone Incidents Over U.S. Prisons Sparks Concerns
COLUMBIA, S.C. – An unprecedented surge in drone activity has been observed over U.S. correctional facilities, exacerbated by stringent federal regulations that limit state responses.
Technological advancements in drone detection have revealed a staggering escalation in aerial smuggling activities above U.S. prisons since 2018.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons documented 479 drone-related incidents at federal facilities in 2024, a remarkable leap from just 23 incidents five years prior. Unlike federal authorities, however, states lack the authorization to neutralize or jam these drones.
Joel Anderson, director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections, remarked on the state’s pioneering efforts in drone detection systems.
In 2022 alone, South Carolina registered 262 drone incursions at its prisons, a significant increase from 69 in 2019.
“We are assaulted nightly,” Anderson stated. “Multiple institutions experience incidents each evening.”
Correctional Officers Thwart Drone Delivering Contraband
A drone response team quickly mobilizes upon receiving an alert about a payload drop.
Anderson observed that the tactics employed by drone smugglers have become increasingly sophisticated. Initially, drones weighed no more than four pounds and traveled at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.
Today, substantial heavy-duty drones can exceed speeds of 75 miles per hour, transporting 25-pound duffel bags filled with contraband over prison walls.
“In some facilities, we can experience multiple incursions in a single night,” Anderson detailed. “They may effectuate several drops consecutively, continuously ferrying goods between the controller and the institution.”
The majority of drone operators are former inmates who maintain connections within the prison, often facilitated by contraband cellphones. Anderson noted that these pilots frequently employ camouflage techniques to obscure their payloads from distant observation.
“If a package is placed on green grass during summer, smugglers might use duct tape to blend it with the environment,” Anderson explained. “It’s immensely challenging to detect unless one is very close.”
UFO-Like Drones Challenge Police Helicopters
Drone payload camouflaged with grass in South Carolina.
South Carolina has successfully instituted a comprehensive drone detection framework across its medium- and maximum-security facilities. When a drone breaches a prison’s airspace, designated personnel receive immediate alerts via cellphone, prompting a rapid deployment of a drone response team to the scene of the drop.
In mere moments, the drone may be absent from sight unless it crashes or the prison’s team manages to trace it back to its operator.
The alert system used by the South Carolina Department of Corrections promptly notifies staff of drone activity above prisons.
Anderson noted, “We’ve encountered drones entangled in nets, ensnared in fences, and even crashing onto the yard. There have been cases where drones simply ran out of battery.”
Upon intercepting disabled drones, the response team retrieves flight data, providing crucial intelligence relating to the drone’s previous maneuvers, including its trajectory and imagery captured.
The drone team in South Carolina retrieves disabled drones for analysis of their flight patterns.
The data obtained can potentially pinpoint the drone pilot’s location for apprehension. Anderson remarked, “In some instances, the perpetrators are so astute that they operate drones from their own backyards. One even captured an image of his own mailbox, which facilitated our investigation.”
Currently, the only recourse for states in addressing drone incursions is detection and confiscation. The Federal Aviation Administration regards drones as registered aircraft, thus preventing states from neutralizing them.
Anderson acknowledged the hazards of attempting to shoot down a drone, particularly given their potential cargo of deadly substances. “We’ve intercepted fentanyl sufficient to lethally affect an entire prison system—466 grams in a single payload,” Anderson said.
“The risk is too high; a disabled drone could wander into a neighborhood, and the consequences could be dire.”
State regulations prevent correctional facilities from dismantling drones, allowing for only detection and retrieval of contraband.
Anderson contended that the drone smuggling problem would diminish if inmates were deprived of access to illicit cell phones, which they are willing to pay exorbitant sums to have smuggled in.
The Federal Communications Commission is currently contemplating measures to empower states with radio-jamming technology, which would impede inmates from establishing contact with external accomplices.
Anderson expressed appreciation for the dedication of staff members, stating, “Their expertise is commendable.
I would prefer to allocate their efforts towards monitoring inmates rather than pursuing illegal deliveries, much of which stems from these unauthorized cell phones enabling direct communication.”
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