The Federal Aviation Administration has quickly banned drone use over “critical infrastructure” websites in New York Metropolis till mid-January – simply hours after the company positioned related restrictions in New Jersey following weeks of panic over the mysterious flying objects.
The short-term flight restrictions, which is able to go into impact Friday by way of Jan. 19, will likely be applied close to JFK Worldwide Airport and LaGuardia Airport in Queens and different websites in Brooklyn and Staten Island, in accordance with the FAA.
Gov. Kathy Hochul mentioned the brand new measures are purely precautionary and can coincide with the state-of-the-art drone detection system offered to the Large Apple by the Biden-Harris administration this week.
“Since mid-November, New York has been carefully monitoring reports of drone activity and we have been communicating closely with our federal partners,” Hochul mentioned.
“I’ve spoken with Secretary Mayorkas multiple times and was just informed that he has coordinated with federal partners and the FAA plans to grant temporary flight restrictions over some of New York’s critical infrastructure sites – this action is purely precautionary; there are no threats to these sites.”
The FAA additionally barred drone operations over massive and considerably populated areas of New Jersey by way of Jan. 17 and warned that the federal government might reply with “deadly force” in opposition to drones that pose a menace.
The impacted areas embrace Jersey Metropolis, Bayonne, Elizabeth, Harrison, Kearny, Edison, Bridgewater, Cedar Grove, Hamilton, North and South Brunswick, Branchburg, Woodbridge, Clifton, Westampton, Winslow, Gloucester Metropolis and Camden.
Drone pilots who breach the restricted airspace might have their drones intercepted and be “detained and interviewed by law enforcement/security personnel,” officers mentioned.
The FAA warned trespassers they might have their operator’s certificates suspended or revoked and face legal prices.
Drone sightings in latest months, primarily over New Jersey and parts of New York, have raised the alarm amongst locals and safety considerations for authorities, who concern overseas brokers are behind them.
Since drones first appeared in New Jersey skies on Nov. 18, the FBI has obtained over 5,000 recommendations on sightings within the tri-state space, in accordance with a press release launched on Monday by the Division of Homeland Safety, the FBI, the FAA and the Division of Protection.
The Submit reported this week that there have been sightings close to at the very least 17 US army installations as far off as Hawaii and Utah which can be positioned close to Chinese language-owned property.
The White Home has largely downplayed the considerations regardless of repeated calls from native residents and authorities officers demanding motion to at the very least get solutions for the mysterious flying objects.
The Division of Homeland Safety and the FBI introduced Monday they’re belatedly deploying drone detection expertise and infrared cameras to find out what, if any, menace the unidentified flying objects pose.
