Drones shut down runways at Stewart Airport; Congress to send detection system to NY
“Last night, the runways at Stewart Airfield were shut down for approximately one hour due to drone activity in the airspace. This has gone too far.”
Drones shut down runways at Stewart International Airport in New Windsor for approximately one hour on Friday night, according to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. “This has gone too far.”
The increase in commercial drone sightings since mid-November have led local officials to seek answers from Federal authorities. Hochul said she is “calling on Congress to pass the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act. This bill would reform legal authorities to counter-UAS and strengthen the FAA’s oversight of drones, and would extend counter-UAS activities to select state and local law enforcement agencies.”
On Sunday, Congress responded by deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system to New York State. “This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations,” Hochul said, while adding: “Passing the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act will give New York and our peers the authority and resources required to respond to circumstances like we face today.”
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, an active military member with top security clearance, told residents on Thursday that he has been seeing the drones for the last couple of months. “I am definitely concerned about it,” said Neuhaus. “The whole thing coincides with the state of our country right now.” Residents are advised to send any images of drone sightings to the county executive.
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