Mayor Eric Adams unveiled a new permitting process for drone use in New York City on Friday, aiming to make it easier for businesses to fly drones.
The new rules will open up an approval process to specially licensed applicants seeking to fly drones within city limits, which was previously illegal in nearly all situations.
City officials said the process is not meant to be a boon to recreational drone flight, but it aims to open up drone use to businesses such as drone operating companies, which were previously unsure of how to legally operate the machines.
“The goal is transparency, allowing people to take away the uncertainty. No one knew how to use or apply for use of a drone in New York City,” Adams said from a press conference in Lower Manhattan. “We’re removing that.”
Adams’ announcement comes a week after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state would be using drones to monitor shark activity on state beaches — something the mayor also expressed support for on Friday.
“Soon, they will help us monitor our beaches for unauthorized swimmers and hazardous conditions,” Adams said, adding drones would also be able to drop life rafts to swimmers at risk of drowning. “We’re going to be rolling out initiatives in this area, partnering with our state, even with part of our shark detection agency in our waterways.”
City agencies are already using drones in some capacity, including in pilot programs such photographing the High Bridge, which spans across the Harlem River, for the city’s Department of Transportation, as well as for searches in emergency situations, like April’s garage collapse in Lower Manhattan.
Permit applications are available online. They will be reviewed by the NYPD and the DOT, and there will also be an appeals process for rejected requests.
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