South Carolina justice officials revealed plans to use unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, to remotely monitor inmates at prisons. South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling hired drone operators with military drone experience to fly missions day and night around the prison grounds.
The drones will be equipped with heat-sensing and night-vision cameras. Additionally, they can detect when a prisoner ventures into a restricted area which is often an indication of attempting to smuggle packages over prison fences during the night.
Like many prisons across the nation, South Carolina prisons have been experiencing problems with contraband. Earlier this year, South Carolina lawmakers moved closer to legislation that bans drones near prisons. South Carolina Gov. McMaster signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency in the South Carolina prisons due to this contraband.
This is another measure South Carolina has taken to curb their problem with contraband entering prisons. Drones are the latest method prisoners are using to gain access to contraband. This time prison officials are fighting fire with fire or with drones in this case. According to the South Carolina Corrections, this is the first prison to employ a drone program.
Sources: WeTalkUAV, WSAV3 News