The shocking and rapid rise of drones smuggling contraband into prisons has exposed the weakness of conventional security systems based on gates, guards and outdated sensors. The National Institute of Justice says that leaders in the sector ‘need new, more sophisticated means of stopping and seizing contraband,’ with the growing capabilities of drones highlighted as a critical threat.
Cheap, fast-moving drones are readily accessible to criminals, with criminal enterprises coordinating contraband deliveries from inside and outside prisons, with off-the-shelf systems now capable of carrying deliveries of higher payloads, at night, and past perimeter walls and nets. And the drone contraband doesn’t just stop at the delivery of illicit items. In 2017 in South Carolina, it is believed that a drone delivered wire cutters to a maximum-security prison, which led an inmate to break free and resulted in a lengthy manhunt.
Drone incursions are increasing at an alarming rate, climbing from roughly 130 documented cases between 2015 and 2019 to hundreds each year—and experts warn the real figure is likely much higher, as no national system exists to capture all incidents. Within the last year, briefings and panel discussions at corrections and public safety conferences nationwide further indicate high concern that it is only a matter of time before a heavy-lift drone is used to carry incarcerated individuals over the prison wall to freedom.
Complicating the scene are outdated perimeter intrusion detection systems that have not kept pace with modern threat technologies. Criminal networks are now deploying multiple drones simultaneously to confuse responders, with some aircraft emitting no radio frequency signatures and therefore eluding legacy sensors. Others take advantage of darkness, fog, or rain to mask their movements, exploiting the limits of both human observation and older optical systems. These evolving tactics underscore the widening gap between today’s adversaries and the static defences designed for a pre-drone era.
As Neal Parsons, research forensic scientist with the Criminal Justice Testing and Evaluation Consortium, explains, “The most promising strategy against illicit drone activity is a multilayered approach that merges sensor capabilities to overcome the performance gaps of an individual technology. This is especially important given the high variability in drone designs and functionality.”
Why Radar Needs to be Integrated in Justice Facility Design
In practice, implementing a multi-layer approach means combining complementary technologies, each covering the blind spots of the others, to create a unified and resilient detection ecosystem. Radar remains the foundation of this stack, providing unmatched, all-weather detection and precise tracking of any drone, regardless of size, shape, signal emission, or flight pattern. Radar uses electromagnetic waves to detect, locate, track and identify objects. It works by transmitting a signal into the environment and measuring the return signal, or echo. Analysis of the reflected energy provides information including mass, location, distance, velocity, and motion characteristics, which can be used to classify airborne threats. Modern advanced radar systems apply AI-assisted classification to enhance confidence in threat identification and to trigger cascading alerts or defensive actions across integrated security systems.
Layered on top of radar, Remote ID receivers can verify compliant aircraft and help distinguish legitimate operations from illicit ones, while Pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras and optical sensors then supply visual confirmation, enabling security personnel to classify and respond to threats in real time. RF detection helps trace the control link between a signal-emitting drone and its operator, allowing security teams to locate the pilot’s position and respond more effectively.
Designing Facilities for a Safer Future
As drone technology continues to advance, so too must the facilities tasked with upholding justice and public safety. What began as isolated incidents of contraband delivery has evolved into a sophisticated, organized threat that can exploit any lapse in detection. High-performance radar systems, whether integrated into new blueprints or retrofitted into existing infrastructure, provide the precision, reliability, and all-weather visibility required when safety and accountability are paramount.
Modern radar not only delivers unmatched detection accuracy but also generates rich, timestamped data that supports incident analysis, operator training, and even evidentiary review in investigations and prosecutions.
For architects and planners, designing with radar at the heart of the detection stack means embedding a layer of intelligence—one that strengthens operational readiness and reinforces the integrity of the justice system itself. Ultimately, creating justice facilities that are drone-aware by design ensures they remain resilient against the evolving airborne threat. By treating radar-centric drone detection as an architectural cornerstone rather than an afterthought, today’s designers can shape facilities that are safer, smarter, and better prepared for the airspace challenges of tomorrow.
Architects and security engineers should consider this exterior-mounted technologies early in the design process so as to optimize both the effectiveness and efficiency of these systems. Strategic placement of the drone detection stack ensures maximum performance with minimal redundancy and accounts for line of sight, coverage overlap, and power and data connection. Integrating this infrastructure from day one not only enhances operational readiness but also protects long-term investment by reducing costly retrofits and ensuring that every sensor functions at peak capacity. In short, designing with drone detection in mind creates justice facilities that are safer, smarter, and built to meet the evolving challenges of modern airspace security.
Designers and architects should approach the drone detection stack as a foundational security layer that is no different in importance than perimeter walls or secure entry points. From the earliest design phase, integrating radar alongside complementary enables a continuous, 360-degree awareness of airspace activity. Radar’s compact form factor and flexible mounting options allow it to be seamlessly incorporated into architectural plans—on rooftops, light poles, or integrated with existing infrastructure—without compromising design aesthetics. By embedding this capability from day one, architects and security engineers can ensure that justice facilities are not merely reacting to drone threats, but are proactively designed to detect, track, and deter drones before they breach the perimeter.
About Kara Quesada
Kara Quesada is Senior Director of Marketing at Echodyne, a radar platform company known for its breakthrough metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) radar technology used across defense, government, and commercial applications. At Echodyne, Kara leads strategic marketing efforts that drive growth and adoption of the company’s low-SWaP, high-performance radar systems, supporting mission-critical use cases like drone detection, perimeter security, BVLOS law enforcement operations, and beyond. With over 20 years of B2B marketing experience, she brings deep expertise in brand development, campaign execution, and pipeline generation across complex, trust-based industries.
