The US Federal Bureau of Prisons has asked the public for ideas to help them stop contraband-laden drones from flying drugs into prisons.

While legal drone deliveries won’t take off until next year at the earliest, contraband smugglers have been using quadcopters to fly drugs and other contraband into prisons for some time already. It’s obvious why – drones are small enough to avoid being spotted by the guards too easily, yet they’re also powerful enough that they can easily carry small objects like cigarettes, cell phones, knives and drugs into the prison yard.

Prison officials want to stop their inmates receiving airborne supply drops, but it seems they’re at a loss as to how to do so, hence their decision to appeal for help.

The Bureau of Prisons takes responsibility for 198,953 inmates – including those who’ve been convicted of federal crimes and those jailed in Washington D.C. for any crime. That might seem like a lot, but in fact it only represents 7.5 percent of the 1.5 million or so total prisoners locked up in the U.S. But despite only caring for a “handful” of prisoners, the Bureau of Prisons saw fit to post a “Request for Information” pertaining to “Protection from Unmanned Air Vehicles”.

“Recent advances in unmanned air vehicles have presented a new and evolving threat to the BOP’s mission,” the Bureau says in its request. “From small devices of less than a pound that can provide unauthorized imagery and surveillance to larger systems that can carry 20 or more pounds of contraband, these devices represent a new and unprecedented challenge for BOP personnel.”

To defend against the new airborne threat, the Bureau is looking for a solution that enables them to detect drones up to one mile away, track them at three-quarters of a mile, and then either intercept or destroy them while still some distance from the prison itself. The Bureau says whatever system is deployed must be able to stop both piloted drones and those flying a pre-programmed route.

The Bureau says it doesn’t want to see price quotes or formal proposals, but rather your “suggestions” for the best way to stop drones from smuggling contraband into prisons. Cue an avalanche of blueprints for anti-drone weaponry, drone jammers, laser guns and even counter-drones.

However, before getting too excited it’s worth noting the Bureau says that it cannot afford to fund proposed systems that haven’t already been built.

Those who think they have the answer should submit their ideas and any follow up questions to the Bureau of Prisons before December 1.

Photo Credit: Dave_S. via Compfight cc