As Drone Sightings Increase, Feds To Track Them In New York: Hochul

ALBANY, NY — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday said that in response to her calls for additional resources, the federal government is deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system to New York.

The tracking system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations.

"We are grateful to the Biden Administration for their support, but ultimately we need further assistance from Congress," she said, adding that passing the counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act will give the state "and our peers the authority and resources required to respond to circumstances like we face today.”

Federal officials have said that there is no immediate danger to public safety.

U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino on Sunday sent a letter to the house's leadership asking that they consider passing his legislation, The Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act.

The legislation would improve the federal government’s ability to safeguard Americans from threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems by reauthorizing existing authorities and creating new opportunities for federal agencies to coordinate counter-drone measures at the state and local level.

"In recent weeks, there has been a sudden surge in sightings of unknown drones over New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and other east coast states," Garbarino said. "Although the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security have claimed that there is not an immediate national security threat, senior officials from both departments have also been extremely clear in numerous appearances before Congress that the federal government does not have the resources to handle every drone threat alone."

Social media has been abuzz with sightings or commentary about them since last Thursday.

The news comes as state and local law enforcement said residents reported numerous sightings across New York.

Suffolk police on Friday said that 16 sightings were reported on Thursday, the same day of reported sightings in New York City and Connecticut. On Friday, residents reported drone sightings in Port Jefferson.

In Nassau, police have received 79 reports since Nov. 1, with 59 of them coming in recent days, a spokesperson said.

On Friday, Stewart International Airport was shut down for around one hour due to drone activity in the airspace.

Hochul said it's "gone too far."

In mid-November, she directed the state's intelligence center to actively investigate drone sightings and to coordinate with federal law enforcement to address this issue, and those efforts are ongoing.

"But in order to allow state law enforcement to work on this issue, I am now calling on congress to pass the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act," she said. "This bill would reform legal authorities to counter-UAS and strengthen the FAA’s oversight of drones, and would extend counter-UAS activities to select state and local law enforcement agencies."

"Extending these powers to New York State and our peers is essential. Until those powers are granted to state and local officials, the Biden Administration must step in by directing additional federal law enforcement to New York and the surrounding region to ensure the safety of our critical infrastructure and our people," she added.

Drone sightings have become somewhat of a phenomenon in recent weeks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

And like Long Island, there is still is no explanation for the uptick, whether they are nefarious in nature, prompted by good weather, or just that residents are more focused on seeing them than usual due to the reports coming out of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Morris County in New Jersey has been a hotspot for drone sightings since they first started appearing around Nov. 18. But almost four weeks later, state and federal officials have shared little about the origin or purpose of the nighttime visitors.

New Jersey state police have reports of between four and 180 sightings per night, according to officials.

Drones were also spotted throughout the greater Philadelphia area on Thursday, perhaps the most widespread night yet of the unexplained sightings in the local area.

There had only been scattered and intermittent reports around Philadelphia and the five county suburban area until Thursday night.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.