Axios - Schumer requests "special drone-detection tech" for N.Y. and N.J.

Rebecca Falconer
15 mins ago

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that he's "working to pass a bill" to give local law enforcement "more tools for drone detection" following a spate of mysterious sightings in Northeastern U.S. states.

The big picture: Schumer in online statements urged Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to send "special drone-detection tech" to New York and New Jersey to tackle the unidentified flying objects problem that saw N.Y. Stewart International Airport shut down Friday.

-The Senate majority leader told reporters Sunday he's requesting Robin Radar Systems because they have "360-degree technology."

-He added: "If the technology exists for a drone to make it up into the sky, there certainly is technology that can track the craft with precision and determine what the heck is going on, and that's what the Robin does."

State of play: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in an online statement Sunday said "our federal partners" were "deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system" to N.Y., which she said would support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations into the matter, but she said further assistance was needed.

-New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who reposted Schumer's X post Sunday, has also requested that President Biden direct more resources to investigate the origins of the mystery of the drones.

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