Axon Corrections is moving into state prison systems in four states, and two of those deployments include drones and airspace security tools. Axon (Nasdaq: AXON), the public safety technology company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, announced the new deployments on October 8, 2026. The company said the technology is meant to help keep both staff and incarcerated individuals safe. The agencies involved are in New York, Ohio, Maryland and North Carolina.
According to the company, Axon Corrections links real-time tools across facilities so that staff can work more efficiently and have better visibility into what is happening around them. Axon said agencies that have put these tools in place have reported measurable safety improvements, including fewer assaults on staff and less use of force. The figure at the top of the announcement is a 40% reduction in physical assaults on staff after body-worn camera technology was added.
Where Axon Corrections Is Deploying Drones and Cameras
The largest rollout described in the announcement belongs to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, known as NYS DOCCS. The department has deployed Axon’s connected ecosystem across its 42 facilities and 15,000 officers. That package includes Body 4 cameras, Fusus, Fleet in-car video, and Dedrone and Skydio drones. Axon presents these products together as its corrections technology for safer prison environments. The New York department is now testing additional AI tools as well.
North Carolina is the other state where drones are part of the picture. The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, or NCDAC, has expanded its connected technology platform to promote safety and efficiency. The additions include more TASER 10 energy weapons, Axon Body 4 cameras, the Fusus real-time operations solution, Dedrone airspace security systems and Skydio drones. Dedrone and Skydio were also part of the discussion at Axon Week 2025, the company’s annual conference. NCDAC was the first correctional institution to deploy TASER 10, which it did in 2022.
The North Carolina agency also supplied one of the more detailed results in the announcement. Its Community Supervision department reported an 87% force avoidance rate. Out of 53 incidents, 46 were resolved by a show of force alone, according to the figures Axon shared. The announcement lists drones only in the New York and North Carolina deployments, while the other two states are focused on cameras, TASER devices and AI tools.
Body Cameras and TASER Devices in Ohio and Maryland
In Ohio, the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, or ODRC, is building on technology it already uses. Axon describes ODRC as the first rehabilitation facility in the nation to adopt body-worn cameras. The department has now added Axon TASER devices with the goal of reducing assaults on officers. It is also piloting AI tools that are intended to support productivity and decision-making, which puts Ohio alongside New York as a state trying out the AI side of Axon Corrections.
Maryland is at an earlier stage. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, or Maryland DPSCS, is adopting Axon Body 4 cameras across all 17 of its facilities. The decision follows a trial period that the announcement calls successful. During that trial, staff assaults dropped 40% in August compared with the same month last year. A senior Maryland official said the cameras serve more than one purpose inside a facility.
“Body-worn cameras serve as an accountability tool for us and add additional protections for the incarcerated individuals in our custody. We’re proud to join other leading correctional institutions across the country in implementing this technology, and are already seeing positive results.” David Greene, Deputy Secretary of Operations, Maryland DPSCS
Axon has been founder-led since 1993 and says it began with a mission to reimagine conflict in law enforcement. The company now serves customers in public safety, enterprise security and national security. Its network connects TASER energy devices, body, fixed and in-car cameras, drones and robotics, digital evidence and records management, real-time operations, immersive training, productivity tools and AI-driven capabilities. Axon says these products are designed to work together, and that an independent Ethics & Equity Advisory Council provides ongoing input and feedback on its approach as the technology evolves.
