Britain will apply Ukrainian battlefield counter‑drone lessons to the prison estate after a surge in drone drops linked to organised crime. Announced in Kyiv on 16 January 2026 during the first‑anniversary programme of the UK‑Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, the plan includes an extra £6.5 million from UK Research and Innovation for anti‑drone R&D. ([gov.uk](Link

The operational trigger is clear. Official data show 1,712 drone incidents across prisons in England and Wales between April 2024 and March 2025, up 43% year on year. Longer‑run figures indicate incidents are now more than 12 times the 2020/21 level, underlining how quickly the threat has scaled. ([gov.uk](Link

Procurement will matter as much as technology. The Ministry of Justice says it will run high‑stakes competitions with UK Defence Innovation and UKRI to source next‑generation tools for detection and defeat. A recent MoJ challenge run via HMGCC Co‑Creation gave successful bidders £60,000 for a 12‑week proof‑of‑concept phase, a useful signal of timelines and expectations. ([gov.uk](Link

The brief points to systems that help staff spot and safely bring down illegal drones-solutions must be simple to operate and legally compliant in a complex radio environment. For founders, that steers effort toward integrated sensing, classification, and controlled interdiction rather than brute‑force jamming. ([gov.uk](Link

Ukraine’s role isn’t symbolic. The UK financed a record programme in 2025 to scale deliveries from a 2024 target of 10,000 drones to 100,000, creating deep access to frontline data and tactics that can be adapted to UK needs. The partnership also formalises tech sharing between industries in both countries. ([gov.uk](Link

For SMEs and investors, the addressable market is broader than prisons. UK Defence Innovation has earmarked more than £140 million in its first year for drone and counter‑drone systems, with an explicit focus on supporting British SMEs and micro‑SMEs-fertile ground for dual‑use products that can sell into defence and domestic security. ([gov.uk](Link

The immediate pain points are visible on the ground. Recent operations at HMP Manchester and HMP Wandsworth led to nine arrests; one recovered drone cost around £6,000, could fly for 40 minutes, and carry multiple payloads-capabilities that overwhelm outdated static defences. ([gov.uk](Link

Money is already flowing alongside today’s £6.5 million R&D top‑up. The government has a £40 million security package this year, including £10 million on anti‑drone measures such as reinforced windows and exterior netting-practical upgrades that new sensing and interdiction kits will need to complement. ([gov.uk](Link

Policy is tightening too. Since January 2025, 400‑metre Drone Restricted Fly Zones have ring‑fenced all closed prisons in England and Wales, but enforcement and maintenance gaps mean technology still has to do heavy lifting, particularly at night. ([news.sky.com](Link

What to watch next: detailed competition briefs, test‑site access across the estate, and early winner announcements. The MoJ says the door is open to international bids-including from Ukraine-so UK firms should assume a global field and build consortia that bring proven sensing, AI and defeat layers into one deployable package. ([gov.uk](Link