Flying robot prison guards are surely just a step away after drone-hunter Department 13 unveiled a new agreement to supply anti-drone technology to two Latin American prisons.

Long gone are the days of prisoners receiving files baked in cakes. These days criminals use drones to drop contraband such as drugs, mobile phones and even weapons into prisons.

Enter Department 13 (ASX: D13).

The ASX-listed anti-drone platform is cracking down on smugglers with its MESMER 1.5 anti-drone technology, starting in Latin American prisons.

Shares in D13 spiked 10 per cent to 11c on the news.

The MESMER 1.5 system, which costs $US400,000 a pop, can target and take control of drones in flight from up to 4 km away using radio frequency.

Unlike similar drone-jamming devices, D13’s protocol manipulation results in minimal interference with other devices such as mobile phones so they can be used in high-traffic areas.

It’s D13’s first sale into a federal prison system but chief executive Jonathan Hunter hopes it won’t be the last.

“This initial MESMER sale to the Latin American prison system further demonstrates the significant opportunities that technology has,” Mr Hunter told investors.

“This is our first sale into a new geography and industry parallel. We continue to undertake demonstrations with customers globally, within the defence, key infrastructure and commercial industries.”

The first iteration of the technology was launched in January this year, with an updated version 1.5 introduced to the market in August.

The company made a $6.2 million loss last financial year, and had $4.9 million in the bank at the end of the period.

D13 has been contacted for comment.