Story Archive

Attack of the Drones

Authorities at Wheatfield Prison, Ireland, were surprised by a quadcopter drone flying over the prison’s exercise yard. The drone, valued at over 2,000 euros (US$2,700) had a rope with suspected drugs attached. Several inmates were waiting below, apparently to retrieve the copter’s cargo. “They wouldn’t have intended to land it in the prison,” a prison spokesman said. “Just hover over it until the inmates got their hands on the contraband.” The drone, however, was caught in the prison’s anti-helicopter wires — designed to prevent using a real helicopter for an escape — and crashed into the yard. Guards were able to get to the crash site, but a prisoner allegedly swallowed the drugs before they could get there. The prisoner was put in solitary confinement and the drone was turned over to the Garda (Irish police). An on-board digital card showed the path the drone had taken, and also that a trial flight was made before the copter flew to the prison. An investigation is underway. (MS/Irish Independent) ...One way or another, this was destined to create a buzz at the prison.
Original Publication Date: 20 July 2014
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 21.

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