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Contraband
Drone contraband: News on smuggling incidents at prisons, technology to detect and prevent, law enforcement efforts, and the impact on security.
A Flock Drone Now Guards Georgia’s Most Notorious Jail
The Fulton County Jail has been many things over the years: overcrowded, federally scrutinized, the subject of a consent decree, and home to one of the more infamous booking photos in recent American history. Now it’s also the site of…
Drone Drops Knives, Drugs, and a Cell Phone Into New York State Prison, Fueling Push for Hochul’s Anti-Drone Law
At 1 a.m. on a Saturday, a drone flew into the secured grounds of Marcy Correctional Facility in upstate New York and released a package between two dormitory buildings. Guards found it before any inmate did. The wires sticking out…
Tennessee asks for $1.7M in drone detection tech as prison contraband airdrops keep coming
Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada told state lawmakers on Tuesday that drone-delivered contraband is no longer an occasional annoyance. It is one of the most significant security threats his facilities face. His department is requesting $1.7 million in…
UK Launches £1.85M Contest to Stop Prison Drones
Drones have become the most reliable delivery service prisons never asked for. Phones, drugs, SIM cards, sometimes even full shopping lists, all floating neatly over razor wire with zero regard for visiting hours. The UK government has officially decided that…
FAA names and shames drone pilots hit with fines up to $36,770 in 2025 enforcement sweep
The FAA posted a public enforcement summary to its social media accounts on February 6, detailing fines and license actions against drone operators for violations spanning 2023 through 2025. The agency’s tone was blunt. “The FAA will take decisive action…
Prison Drone Drops Turn Night Skies Into Smuggling Lanes
A single drone drop at South Carolina’s Lee Correctional Institution recently made national headlines, not because of technical sophistication, but because of its grocery list, as WISTV reports. Crab legs, steak, Old Bay seasoning, and marijuana were delivered neatly from…
Massachusetts’ Counter-UAS Plans For The FIFA World Cup Aren’t Cutting It
Massachusetts is staring down a very modern security headache ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: how do you build a real counter-UAS plan fast enough to protect massive, high-visibility crowds, without turning the entire region into a no-fly panic…
DHS Creates Permanent Counter-Drone Office: What the $115 Million Announcement Actually Means for Drone Pilots
After months of tracking the administration’s counter-drone buildup, the bureaucratic shoe finally dropped. The Department of Homeland Security announced yesterday the creation of a new Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Counter-UAS, a permanent office that will outlast…
Oklahoma Prisons Step Up Drone Defenses After 6,000 Phones Smuggled In
Drones have become a serious and persistent security threat inside Oklahoma state prisons, fundamentally changing how contraband enters correctional facilities, as Koko 5 ABC reports. According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, drones have been used to deliver illegal items…
NDAA 2026: Local Police to Gain New Powers to Take Down Your Drone
We’ve tracked counter-drone legislation for years, but the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) changes everything for every drone pilot in America. The bill passed the House 312-112 on December 10 and awaits final Senate action this week before…
Prisons Face a Growing Threat From Smuggling Drones
Drones were supposed to bring us sunset photos, roof inspections, and the occasional wedding video with questionable music choices. Instead, they are now running prison logistics like an airborne Amazon Prime, except the packages include drugs, phones, and the occasional…
Prison Drone Drop Turns Into a Surf and Turf Smuggling Fail
South Carolina corrections officers intercepted what might be the strangest holiday dinner delivery ever attempted, a drone-powered gourmet contraband drop that looked like someone tried to recreate a Food Network episode with the budget of a middle school bake sale,…