NEW YORK CITY, NY - Documents reviewed by Gothamist show that the New York Police Department's Counterterrorism Division is investing in new technology that will focus on combating drones that could be used for "nefarious" purposes, something they call a growing threat to New Yorkers.
In 2024, months before the public's attention was captivated by reports of mysterious drones circling New Jersey, the New York Police Department (NYPD) reportedly signed a $383,744 contract to buy a drone-tracking system from a private company. The contract show that the system is designed to be placed in a single location, where it can use radio frequencies, cameras, and radar to identify and track drones in city airspace.
Contract documents state, "Given the rise in popularity in [drone] usage amongst the populace, it is believed that [drone] detection will continue to be a topic of emphasis going forward especially to prevent the usage of [drones] for nefarious purposes."
The NYPD views the technology as a critical tool for officers who work to combat terrorism threats in the city. The NYPD's Counterterrorism Division is responsible for detecting unauthorized drones at major events and at areas of "critical infrastructure" in the city. In response to questions surrounding the contract, an NYPD spokesperson said, "The NYPD views drones as a possible public safety threat and therefore, the department needs to track their flights across the city."
The spokesperson added, "Our specialized counter unmanned aerial system trained officers have recently invested in more robust drone detection capabilities to better protect the public."
According to the Gothamist, the NYPD did not provide information about how many drone-related incidents they responded to in the city this year. They also did not say where the drone-tracking technology is placed in the city.
Experts were divided on the importance of drone surveillance. Dr. Willam Austin, a drone expert from New Jersey who serves as president and chief drone pilot of Warren Community College, said he was encouraged that the NYPD is investing in drone-tracking technology.
He said, "It's probably very wise. This is something that I think all law enforcement in the nation will do, so it doesn't surprise me. It gives me some confidence to know that New York is ahead of the curve and they have been ahead of the curve on drones for years." He added, "This is going to be a critical help to law enforcement as well in not misidentifying aircraft."
Not everyone is sold on the technology. Albert Fox Cahn, a civil liberties advocate and founder of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, said the NYPD's purchase shows a double standard in public finances.
He said, "At a time when so many agencies are seeing so many pressures to cut staffing, to cut spending, the NYPD continues to have seemingly a blank check when it comes to new technology. The justifications for using a system like this is that the tools the NYPD already used aren't up to the job. So, the question I have for them is how much money have they spent on this drone tech already? How often is it getting it wrong?"
The NYPD bought the new tracking system from the company Sentinel Consulting LLC to supplement technology the department already had in its toolkit. Prior to buying the new technology, the department used "mobile detection" systems to track unmanned aircraft, but according to the contract, those has "limited range."
In 2024, months before the public's attention was captivated by reports of mysterious drones circling New Jersey, the New York Police Department (NYPD) reportedly signed a $383,744 contract to buy a drone-tracking system from a private company. The contract show that the system is designed to be placed in a single location, where it can use radio frequencies, cameras, and radar to identify and track drones in city airspace.
Contract documents state, "Given the rise in popularity in [drone] usage amongst the populace, it is believed that [drone] detection will continue to be a topic of emphasis going forward especially to prevent the usage of [drones] for nefarious purposes."
The NYPD views the technology as a critical tool for officers who work to combat terrorism threats in the city. The NYPD's Counterterrorism Division is responsible for detecting unauthorized drones at major events and at areas of "critical infrastructure" in the city. In response to questions surrounding the contract, an NYPD spokesperson said, "The NYPD views drones as a possible public safety threat and therefore, the department needs to track their flights across the city."
The spokesperson added, "Our specialized counter unmanned aerial system trained officers have recently invested in more robust drone detection capabilities to better protect the public."
According to the Gothamist, the NYPD did not provide information about how many drone-related incidents they responded to in the city this year. They also did not say where the drone-tracking technology is placed in the city.
Experts were divided on the importance of drone surveillance. Dr. Willam Austin, a drone expert from New Jersey who serves as president and chief drone pilot of Warren Community College, said he was encouraged that the NYPD is investing in drone-tracking technology.
He said, "It's probably very wise. This is something that I think all law enforcement in the nation will do, so it doesn't surprise me. It gives me some confidence to know that New York is ahead of the curve and they have been ahead of the curve on drones for years." He added, "This is going to be a critical help to law enforcement as well in not misidentifying aircraft."
Not everyone is sold on the technology. Albert Fox Cahn, a civil liberties advocate and founder of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, said the NYPD's purchase shows a double standard in public finances.
He said, "At a time when so many agencies are seeing so many pressures to cut staffing, to cut spending, the NYPD continues to have seemingly a blank check when it comes to new technology. The justifications for using a system like this is that the tools the NYPD already used aren't up to the job. So, the question I have for them is how much money have they spent on this drone tech already? How often is it getting it wrong?"
The NYPD bought the new tracking system from the company Sentinel Consulting LLC to supplement technology the department already had in its toolkit. Prior to buying the new technology, the department used "mobile detection" systems to track unmanned aircraft, but according to the contract, those has "limited range."
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