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#13Investigates: Georgia prisons see increase in drone sightings

The popularity of drones has taken off across the country, but the flying gadgets are causing major problems for Georgia prisons.

Drones are becoming increasingly popular across the country.

By 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration estimates there will be 7 million drones in the U.S., but as the numbers increase, so do the headaches for state prisons.

Department of Corrections Special Agent Jaylon Heard says drones cause a huge safety and security threat to penitentiaries.

"They're being used to facilitate the introduction of contraband into our facilities," says Heard. "Tobacco, drugs, cell phones." Those are items that Heard says Corrections Officers have recovered from drone drops.

Last July , WMAZ reported a drone landed at Washington State Prison carrying cell phones, tobacco, a USB charger, marijuana, and Oxycodone pills.

In August , another drone crashed to the ground outside Macon State Prison, carrying 3 cell phones wrapped in black cloth.

"It's something that's becoming a little bit more common, unfortunately," says Heard.

We tested out News Drone 13 near Central State Prison in Macon. We flew it down the hill from the facility, but if we would've gotten any closer, it would've sent the prison into lockdown.

"Once that alarm goes off, it basically alerts the officers that there is one in the area and then the entire facility is put on lockdown and then everybody is counted," says Heard.

The Department of Corrections says they fear one day someone could drop a knife or a gun to an inmate, who could "overtake" the unarmed corrections officers inside.

"Our officers normally are looking on ground level, now they've having to be trained and be aware and look up and they have to listen for drones," says Heard.

The Georgia Department of Corrections reports only 9 drone sightings at, or near, one of their prisons statewide through 2016.

In 2017, that number shot up to 118.

And so far in 2018? There's already been 30 as of March 12.

"If we can pinpoint who actually flew the drone criminal charges will be sought after for them," says Heard.

It's serious business, but what can be done to stop the drones?

"There's technology being used to combat this issue as well as different policies that we now have in place," says Heard.

Heard wouldn't elaborate on security specifics because he doesn't want people to know "how to breach the system," but he told WMAZ the Department of Corrections is taking steps to monitor for drones.

In a September 2017 magazine article published by the Georgia Department of Corrections, Clay Nix, Director of Professional Standards, said drones are being "pre-programmed" to shut down near airports and that's a technology that the Department of Corrections is looking to emulate.

DOC Spokeswoman Kasandra Ortiz says the DOC currently does not have that type of system in place.

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