MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Operating any sort of unmanned aircraft, which in most cases would be a consumer-grade drone, over a prison in Alabama will now constitute a Class C felony charge, punishable with up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
The enacting bill, House Bill 345, was sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, who earlier this year said he drafted the legislation in response to instances of contraband being dropped into prisons via drones, instances of which he said had “increased dramatically over the past couple of years.”
In 2023 there were 17 known instances of contraband being dropped into Alabama prisons, nearly triple that of 2022 totals. As of April of this year, there were already 13 instances of contraband being dropped into prisons via drones.
Also under the bill, a drone or any unmanned aircraft system found to have flown over a prison would be subject to civil forfeiture.