Drones have become very popular and there is no denying that there are countless ways in which they can be used. Unfortunately though, this innovative gadget has also been used for illicit operations, whereby drugs and other items were being smuggled to inmates in prisons. This led the North Carolina’s Gov. Roy Cooper to pass a new law which essentially prohibits ordinary citizens from flying drones within a height of 250 feet above prisons. This law also prohibits people from flying drones within a radius of 500 feet from such facilities. The law was introduced mainly because drones became a way of supplying contraband to inmates, and there was the fear that they could be used to supply weapons too.

In fact, back in 2015, prison officials in North Carolina found two drones that crashed into the fences of the prison. These were carrying contraband items including a lighter, a mobile phone, charger, rolling papers, and tobacco. The drone landed in an area where inmates were not allowed so no one was able to get anything. There has been six other instances of drones flying around the prison that were noticed by North Carolina prison officials in merely two years. Such activities were also noticed at a South Carolina prison.

Prison leaders expressed their concerns about the fact that the risk was intensified considering that the technology is becoming cheaper by the day. The risks these observations posed have prompted lawmakers and experts to get a law in place.

North Carolina’s Republican Member, Allen McNeill, sponsored the bill. He expressed his fear that drones could drop a gun in the prison’s yard, which could then be used to kill or injure other inmates or guards.

The law was passed on Tuesday the 25th July, 2017. It makes flying drones within a prescribed height and distance from North Carolina’s jails and prisons a crime. Anybody found to be using drones that manage to deliver contraband or weapons inside the prison could be charged with a felony, while those who fly a drone near a prison (without contraband) could be charged with a misdemeanor.

This news may show the downside to drones, and pose a hazard when they end up in the wrong hands and used for such wrong deeds. But in reality, drones offer a lot of positive benefits. These are some of the potential uses of drones:

• Mapping agricultural fields, and help the farmers assess the health of their crops.
• Drones can be used in rescue operations, especially to identify the path ahead for navigation purposes.
• They can be used to search for evidence.
• They can be used to identify the hot spots in a fire, enabling the fire department to plan its operations better.
• The unmanned aircraft increases safety as well as efficiency for the operations. They can help to identify the contents of suspicious packages, thus saving lives in the process while also helping the law enforcers to make informed decisions. Drones could save a lot of time as well as lives.
• Drones are suitable for assessing property damage.
• There are plans to use robots, drones, and laser equipment to clean sewer drains.
• Drones have become an integral part of the country’s defense.
• New technologies could even allow drones to plant trees.

But it can’t be denied that drones can be, and are being used, for the wrong purposes by criminals. As a result their usage needs to be governed. In view of this, this new law could help a great deal. There may also be more states which will follow North Carolina’s footsteps.

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