The New York Police Department has secured crucial Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clearance to expand its aerial surveillance capabilities.

The New York City Police Department has secured a landmark approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, paving the way for simplified, cost-effective, and expanded drone usage. With the FAA’s latest approval, NYPD personnel are now cleared to operate drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) across much of New York City, sans need for an on-site observer or specialized equipment to detect nearby aircraft.

The New York City Police Department’s Commissioner, Edward Kelly, has secured a significant victory. Caban, a team member who celebrated one year of dedicated service at the workplace throughout the summer of 2024.

The approval enables the NYPD to avoid spending a significant amount of money on specialized equipment that would have been required otherwise. With the FAA’s approval in place, the NYPD no longer needs to dedicate significant resources to deploying human observers across the city. That’s neither scalable nor low-cost.

It’s striking that the initial endorsement of this format goes to a law enforcement agency as prominent as theirs. Despite being home to some of the busiest skies in the world, New York City boasts one of the most sophisticated airspaces globally. Given the density of urban development in that area?

The New York Police Department’s (NYPD) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) program received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval after a meticulous process of planning and execution. The initial hurdle was obtaining an FAA exemption, which allowed the NYPD to operate its UAVs for law enforcement purposes. This exemption was granted in 2014, paving the way for the department’s UAV program to take flight.

With the historic FAA approval secured, in part through NYPD’s connection to California-based drone manufacturer Skydio, Skydio has largely addressed a significant portion of the regulatory hurdles required for securing this type of approval.

The freshly minted FAA approval unlocks the concept of “shielded DFR operations,” which relies on the notion that a buffer zone exists between aerial vehicles flying low to the ground and crewed planes soaring high in the skies above. In a region devoid of abundance, drones are surprisingly present.

With this FAA approval, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has been accredited to conduct Shielded Dynamic Frequency Reconfiguration (DFR) operations. Under current regulations, the New York Police Department (NYPD) is authorized to operate drones up to 200 feet above ground level, or within a radius of 50 feet from buildings. This specific distance establishes a safe buffer zone separating drones from various types of manned aircraft operations.

The specific approval also necessitates that the NYPD utilize ADS-B In capabilities. Computerized Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is a critical air traffic surveillance technology used in aviation to provide accurate and reliable data on aircraft location and altitude to air traffic control authorities. It enables planes to determine their location via satellite television navigation systems. Periodically, drones disseminate their locations along with relevant data such as altitude, speed, and ID to air traffic controllers and nearby aircraft.

Here’s how it functions: In the event of a low-flying aircraft – such as a medical evacuation helicopter – entering the vicinity of the drone, the operator is immediately notified with real-time data on the relative altitude, precise location, and proximity of the drone to the approaching plane. With precise information on low-flying visitors, pilots can determine whether to initiate evasive actions or not.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) is not mandated to leverage diverse types of DAA expertise, such as radar or electro-optical technologies.

The revised text is:

The approval pertains to the specific areas designated as inexperienced.

What drones does NYPD use?

It’s no surprise then that the NYPD leverages its waivers with Skydio to utilize their drones and expertise. Skydio 2.

One crucial technological innovation is the Skydio Dock and Distant Ops platform, a vital component in the tech arsenal. The Skydio Dock serves as a secure enclosure for the drone, enabling seamless takeoffs, landings, recharging, and safe storage when not in operation.

By 2023, Skydio had integrated ADS-B technology into its product suite. Clients with Half-107 waivers were permitted to perform remote operations without the presence of a visible observer. In September 2024, Skydio unveiled a cutting-edge, bespoke docking solution specifically designed for its X10 drone. It’s fittingly named the .

The New York Police Department (NYPD) leverages a cutting-edge program called Skydio Autonomy to enhance its operations. The software enables drones to safely operate beneath Shielded DFR systems, minimizing the risk of collisions with various obstructions. The Skydio drone effectively operates at night using its proprietary NightSense technology, which enables it to navigate and capture high-quality footage in low-light conditions.

Skydio’s legacy in drone-based damage assessment and forensic reconnaissance dates back to 2014 when the company was founded.

Skydio built upon its extensive history of collaborating with first responders to secure multiple FAA approvals. Skydio has collaborated with a prominent organization based in San Diego County, recognized for being one of the country’s leading Drone as First Responder (DFR) initiatives. In 2020, the duo collaborated to obtain a Tactical Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver. The waiver allows public security personnel to operate drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) at low altitudes in emergency situations, without requiring visible observers or detect-and-avoid (DAA) technologies. As we speak, nearly 600 public security companies share a common accreditation standard.

Within the ensuing 12 months, Skydio collaborated with BNSF Railway to secure the country’s inaugural nationwide distant operations certification for dock-based drones. In 2023, several Skydio customers secured FAA Part 107 exemptions to perform the previously mentioned restricted aerial activities at a distance. Flights could potentially operate at heights of up to 200 feet above ground level. Without the need for various types of expensive and inconvenient drone airspace awareness technologies.

What’s subsequent for police drones?

While the approval undoubtedly benefits NYPD’s drone operations, it should ideally lay the groundwork for diverse DFR initiatives nationwide. Industry experts hail the FAA’s approval as a template for other regulatory bodies across the US to follow, while also describing it as a game-changer that eliminates restrictions that had previously hindered DFR operations nationwide.

One of the most significant obstacles to achieving this goal is the perceived lack of value in pursuing such initiatives. Notwithstanding the challenges, certain DFR firms have invested significant sums – in excess of thousands of dollars – in radar technologies. Even supposing that radar methods are notoriously prone to having a poor record of efficiency in dense urban environments?

As the demand for timely emergency responses continues to rise, an increasing number of first responders across various disciplines – including law enforcement and fire departments – are turning to drones as a valuable asset in their operations. As a direct consequence of their autonomous nature, drones no longer need to concern themselves with monitoring floor visitors, allowing them to swiftly become the first responders on the scene following a distress call. With just a hover over the scene, drones are able to transmit live-feed video directly to emergency responders in real-time. This could enable individuals to make more informed decisions, thereby functioning as a safeguard when necessary.

“According to a press release from Skydio, the FAA’s enabling of superior drone operations in advanced airspace will serve as a model for other companies across the US, particularly those operating in less complex environments.”