Recent drone activity in New York and surrounding states has raised concerns about safety and security and has some people wondering — can you shoot a drone down? The short answer is no, and here’s why.
Earlier this week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a “state-of-the-art drone detection system” is being deployed in New York to assist in investigations surrounding the recent drone activity in the state, including the shuttering of runways at New York Stewart International Airport for several hours last week due to drone activity.
Some of the drones, or multiple sightings of the same drone, have been spotted over military installations and other sensitive sites such as President-elect Donald Trump‘s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Trump took to Truth Social on Friday to demand the U.S. government get to the bottom of the drone sightings, writing: “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!”
Here’s what you can and can’t do with drones in New York.
Can you shoot drones in NY?
A drone owned by the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, a law enforcement agency, pictured in the Jersey Shore borough of Seaside Heights on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024.
Taking a shot at a hovering drone is illegal. The FAA considers it shooting at an aircraft, which is a federal crime.
An Ogdensburg man was arrested and charged with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon in St. Lawrence County in June for shooting down a drone after he allegedly became angry at his neighbor for flying the device on his property. The man used a shotgun to shoot down the drone “in the direction of the victim in a threatening manner,” state police said in a release.
There are upwards of 791,597 drones registered as of Oct. 1 in the U.S., according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which are nearly evenly divided between commercial and recreational use, but not all drones are registered.
Are drones legal in NY?
Yes, you can fly a drone in New York as long as you adhere to all federal and state laws. Commercial drone pilots or government employees (such as first responders) must get a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA and follow the requirements of the FAA’s Part 107 Small UAS Rule (Part 107).
Recreational drone pilots must take the FAA’s Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), follow FAA recreational model aircraft rules, and register them if the drones weigh more than 0.55 pounds, along with line-of-sight restrictions and other rules.
New York also has…
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