A CNN investigative report by Taylor Galgano has found that many states around the US are facing an increasing number of drone incursions at prisons, with items such as drugs and knives being smuggled to inmates.
The article notes that states have varying counter-drone policies and technologies in place. In South Carolina, for example, 50-foot nets and a high-tech drone detection system are used to protect facilities from drones. The drone detection system is also capable of locating the drone pilot.
Most drones in the US are required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to have remote identifications, which provide tracking information receivable by outside parties. Experts told CNN, however, that bad actors can remove that tracker to avoid detection in violation of FAA guidelines.
According to an April 2026 update from the US Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, a man pleaded guilty to one count of operating an aircraft eligible for registration without having the proper registration. A jury previously indicted him for attempting to utilise an unregistered drone to introduce contraband into a state prison.
There is an ongoing issue of authority when it comes to counter-drone responses in the US. As a result, several state attorney generals recently requested increased authority to disable or intercept drones before they reach prisons. However, recent incidents in Texas have illustrated the risk of some federal counter-drone actions.
CNN’s article points to the Federal Communications Commission’s consideration of potentially allowing local and state correctional institutions to jam cell signals from illegal contraband cellphones. This would of course affect the ability to coordinate drone drops with pilots outside the prison. Jamming technology is only currently allowed in federal prisons.
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