Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has directed the Ministry of Justice to learn from Ukraine’s counter‑drone operations and adapt proven battlefield approaches to disrupt drone drops into English and Welsh prisons. The announcement was made in Kyiv on 16 January 2026 during events marking the first anniversary of the UK–Ukraine 100 Year Partnership. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/battlefield-tactics-to-inspire-uk-fight-against-prison-drones))
To coincide with the visit, UK Research and Innovation confirmed an additional £6.5 million to accelerate research and development for prison counter‑drone capabilities. Government says the work will test next‑generation tools that allow staff to detect and bring down illegal drones, moving promising concepts from trials to operational evaluation. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/battlefield-tactics-to-inspire-uk-fight-against-prison-drones))
Delivery is being structured as a cross‑government innovation effort. The Ministry of Justice will work with UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) and UKRI to run high‑stakes competitions, open to international bidders including UK and Ukrainian firms, to surface deployable detection and defeat technologies for use across the prison estate. UKDI, launched in July 2025 with a ring‑fenced budget, is consolidating defence innovation routes to market. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/battlefield-tactics-to-inspire-uk-fight-against-prison-drones))
This builds on recent Ministry of Justice market engagement. In November 2025, the department used HMGCC Co‑Creation to launch a Counter‑Drone Challenge offering £60,000 per proof‑of‑concept over 12 weeks, signalling expectations on speed, usability and legal compliance for future counter‑UAS solutions around prisons. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tech-challenge-launched-to-counter-drone-threats-in-prisons))
The operational need is acute. Official figures show 1,712 drone incidents across prisons in England and Wales between April 2024 and March 2025, a 43 percent year‑on‑year rise. Government reporting also highlights a 770 percent increase in drone‑related incidents between 2019 and 2023, with organised crime groups using UAVs to move contraband that fuels violence and debt. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/counter-drone-efforts-rise-as-prison-sightings-revealed?utm_source=openai))
Any ‘defeat’ measures will sit within existing airspace and wireless legislation. New drone‑only restricted airspace of 400 metres around every closed prison in England and Wales has applied since 25 January 2024, creating an automatic offence to fly within the zone without exemption. The regime is set out in Statutory Instrument 2023/1101 and associated guidance. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/anti-drone-no-fly-zones-to-combat-prison-smuggling?utm_source=openai))
Electronic measures must also respect authorisation rules. The Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Acts 2012 and 2018 provide a legal route, in defined circumstances, for authorised interference against illicit communications devices associated with custodial settings-an important backdrop for counter‑UAS tools that interact with radio signals. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/20?utm_source=openai))
Ministers point to parallel investment in the estate. Alongside physical hardening such as exterior netting and reinforced windows, the Government cites a £40 million security boost this year, of which £10 million relates to anti‑drone measures, adding capacity while technology trials proceed. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/battlefield-tactics-to-inspire-uk-fight-against-prison-drones))
The Ukraine link is not incidental. The UK committed a record £350 million in 2025 to expand drone supply for Ukraine from 10,000 in 2024 to a target of 100,000 in 2025, a programme that has generated deep practical knowledge in counter‑drone tactics and supporting industry. Officials now want prisons to translate those lessons into domestic security outcomes. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tenfold-increase-in-uk-drone-deliveries-for-ukraine-at-50-nation-ukraine-summit?utm_source=openai))
For governors and security leads, this signals an imminent period of trials and rapid procurement. Expect test deployments focused on perimeter monitoring, target classification and safe interdiction that align with the restricted‑airspace regime, plus training and data‑sharing arrangements to link prison operations with local policing and national tasking.
For suppliers, the message is clear. Readiness levels, compatibility with prison operations, and legal compliance will be decisive. Prior MoJ challenges indicate short proof‑of‑concept phases followed by accelerated down‑selection. UKDI’s maturing role suggests clearer routes from prototyping to purchase during 2026, with opportunities for UK and Ukrainian firms positioned to scale. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/a-new-era-for-defence-innovation-dasa-diu-and-des-fci-unite-under-uk-defence-innovation-ukdi?utm_source=openai))