The NYPD aims to combat illegal drone activity over New York City due to over 75,000 incidents reported in 2025. Currently, it can track illegal drone flights but lacks the technology to disable them, which is held by few federal agencies. NYPD Commissioner Tisch emphasized the necessity of this local response, comparing it to ground event security. The department is pursuing access to specific anti-drone technology, including a drone designed to safely intercept and land threats, while advocating for legislative changes to empower local police in this capacity.
At least 75,000 drones flew over the city so far in 2025, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. While the NYPD can track and report on illegal drone flights, it cannot access technology to counteract drones.
Tisch said in a Sunday opinion article that responding to drone threats is a local issue, not a federal one, and the NYPD needs the technology in order to keep New Yorkers safe.
We can watch, but we can't act, Tisch wrote. And if any of those drones had been weaponized and under the control of a nefarious actor, the results could have been devastating.
The technology the city is interested in purchasing involves a drone that can be launched to intercept an enemy drone, entangle it in mesh and deploy a parachute to bring it to the ground safely.
Collection
[
|
...
]