Mysterious drones in New York briefly shut down runways at an Orange County airport, a annoyed governor stated, calling for federal help and declaring that “this has gone too far.”
The New York Stewart International Airport was compelled to shut runways Friday evening for about an hour “as a consequence of drone exercise within the airspace,” Gov. Kathy Hochul stated in an announcement.
The airport obtained a report of a drone sighting from the Federal Aviation Administration round 9:40 p.m. Friday, stated a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The runways reopened at 10:45 p.m., the spokesperson stated. The closure didn’t impression flights.
“This has gone too far,” Hochul stated.
The drones have been spotted over New York, New Jersey, and different states within the Northeast, sparking concern and confusion. Some lawmakers, together with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. and New Jersey Republican Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, have referred to as on the army to shoot them down. Experts, nonetheless, have stated that taking pictures them poses a safety risk and is illegal.
Hochul stated she directed the New York State Intelligence Center to actively examine the sightings and coordinate with federal regulation enforcement to deal with the drones. The efforts stay ongoing, the governor stated.
“But so as to enable state regulation enforcement to work on this challenge, I’m now calling on Congress to go the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act,” she stated. “This invoice would reform authorized authorities to counter-UAS and strengthen the FAA’s oversight of drones, and would prolong counter-UAS actions to pick out state and native regulation enforcement businesses.”
“Extending these powers to New York State and our friends is important. Until these powers are granted to state and native officers, the Biden Administration should step in by directing extra federal regulation enforcement to New York and the encompassing area to make sure the protection of our vital infrastructure and our individuals,” Hochul added.
The White House has stated that it has “no proof right now that the reported drone sightings pose a nationwide safety or a public security menace, or have a overseas nexus.” Officials have stated the drones flying over New Jersey prior to now few weeks look like commercial-grade and never leisure.
During an interagency background name Saturday, an official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reiterated that there isn’t a “proof that there’s a menace to public security.”
An FAA official stated that it isn’t unlawful to fly drones in U.S. airspace, whereas an official with the Federal Bureau of Investigation stated there has “been a slight overreaction” to the drone sightings.
“We’re assured that most of the reported drone sightings are, in truth, manned plane being misidentified as drones,” the DHS official stated within the name. “There is not any proof up to now of any overseas primarily based involvement in sending drones ashore from marine vessels within the space.”
