STATEWIDE — POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE “flooding the skies” with highly invasive surveillance drones without regulation or oversight, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) warned Tuesday in its report, “Prying Eyes: Government Drone Data Across New York.” NYPD has quadrupled its drone arsenal since 2022, from 19 to 99, a 421% increase, according to the report. Small, inconspicuous drones can record private conversations, track individuals or vehicles autonomously, use night vision and thermal imaging, can break down doors and can be equipped with crowd-control devices such as pepper spray. NYPD flies drones as part of regular patrols, violating city policy and “ushering in a new level of constant aerial surveillance,” NYCLU claims. Daniel Schwarz, NYCLU’s Senior Privacy & Technology Strategist, urged legislators to enact guardrails on this technology.
Mayor Eric Adams has touted the benefits of NYPD’s “Drone as First Responder” program, where drones are dispatched in response to gunfire or 911 calls. DFR is operational in five commands in three boroughs, including the 6th, 7th, 71st and 75th precincts in Brooklyn, the 48th precinct in the Bronx, and the Central Park precinct in Manhattan.
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