New Robot Rules Allow Drones To Fly Over NYC: Mayor

NEW YORK CITY — Shark detectors, robot dogs that topple in collapsed buildings, now a permit to fly drones over the five boroughs: welcome to the new New York City.

Mayor Eric Adams unveiled new guidelines Friday that legalize flying drones, albeit with some restrictions, above the city skyline.

"New York City, we’re flying into the future," he said.

"Drones are proven technology. They’re being used every day and the City of New York cannot lead from the rear, we must lead from the front."

The news will likely come welcome to city tax collectors toying with the idea of a property-assessing drone fleet, facade inspectors looking to keep tabs on city buildings and advertisers who were previously forced to take off from New Jersey, such as Candy Crush's much-derided "candified carnival" over the Hudson River last fall.

The new guidelines announced by Adams and NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban will soften those restrictions.

A new website will allow New Yorkers to apply for permit to legally take off and land a drone within New York City, Caban said.

He said the applications, which must be made in advance of flights, will be reviewed by the NYPD and Department of Transportation for approval.

"We are proving a balance between legal access and safety for all," he said.

Applicants must have authorizations to fly their devices from the Federal Aviation Administration, a requirement that likely will largely restrict use to business-related purposes, officials said.

Permit holders must also take off from designated sites, report crashes or accidents to the NYPD, notify relevant community boards and the public if they plan to capture photos or video and tell New York City's Cyber Command of any cybersecurity incidents involving devices, officials said.

Adams' enthusiastic embrace of drone technology has worried many advocates, who argue the mayor and city agencies are potentially running roughshod over privacy and civil liberties concerns.

NYPD drones, for example, fly over the city with "almost no regulation," the New York Civil Liberties Union warned in November. And the department's robot dog needs a watchdog's leash, advocates argued last month.

The mayor didn't directly address those privacy concerns Friday. He instead broadly said that city officials are aware of those concerns, while he gave specific examples of drones' uses, such as shark detection and dropping life rafts into the water.

"We're paving the way for the future use of drones in our everyday lives," Adams said, "not just in emergency situations."