Prisons Battle Airborne Contraband Tide

Airborne smuggling operations over U.S. prisons have surged dramatically since 2018, fueled by advancements in drone technology. Federal prisons reported a staggering 479 drone incidents in 2024, a significant increase from just 23 in 2018. South Carolina's Department of Corrections has been at the forefront of developing detection systems, with its prisons experiencing 262 drone incursions in 2022.

These missions have evolved from small payloads to heavy-lift drones capable of carrying up to 25-pound duffle bags of contraband over prison fences at speeds exceeding 75 miles per hour. Smugglers, often former inmates, exploit illegal cell phones obtained by inmates to coordinate these elaborate operations, sometimes camouflaging their drones to evade detection.

While states like South Carolina have developed sophisticated drone detection and response teams, their ability to intercept is limited by federal regulations, which prohibit shooting down or jamming drones. These registered aircraft are primarily dealt with through detection, confiscation, and analysis of flight data, which can sometimes lead to the pilot's arrest.