Contraband such as drugs, cellphones and weapons often makes its way into prisons through perimeter drops — these perimeters, essentially the fence lines, are monitored around the clock by officers driving department vehicles. Now, prison officials have announced that drones connected to an AI visual inspection software will enhance that work.
“This is going to be a massive game-changer because we’ve mapped our entire facility,” said Candice Moore in a video news release. Moore is the chief administrator of IT and project management, and she also noted that the system “knows what is supposed to be in our yard versus what’s not supposed to be in our yard.”
Oklahoma Corrections has partnered on this project with the tech companies Skydio and Levatas. Levatas provides an AI inspection platform, and it also made news in 2023 for adding ChatGPT to the Boston Dynamics robot dog, Spot. Its visual inspection platform is integrated with the drones that Skydio manufactures. In turn, the drones provide eyes and transmit visual data to Corrections staff.
This is the companies’ first foray into corrections, according to the release, and they provide the drones, AI technology and an alert system. ODOC plans to train its staff to become certified drone pilots.
If the 45-day trial period is successful, ODOC will consider expanding it. Across the system, there are 3,600 ODOC employees and 46,000 people in custody, on probation or parole. The Red Rock Correctional Center is in Lawton and had 2,276 inmates as of Sept. 1, according to a daily statewide population report.
Across the country, public safety agencies are increasingly deploying unarmed drones to monitor large events, assess damage after natural disasters and support search and rescue operations. Drones have also gained traction in agencies focused on natural disasters and infrastructure inspection.
“By incorporating advanced drone technology, we aim to enhance real-time surveillance and improve rapid incident response,” said ODOC Chief of Operations Jason Sparks. “Our goals include strengthening safety for both staff and inmates, as well as improving operational efficiency through more effective monitoring and resource allocation.”
