Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has requested that “special detection systems” be deployed in New York and New Jersey after recent drone sightings fueled anxiety among residents in the region.
Schumer told reporters on Sunday that he made the request to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and pushed for Robin Radar Systems, which he said has a better chance of detecting drones because of their “360-degree technology.”
Schumer’s request comes after a series of reported drone sightings in the Northeast over the last month, including ones that caused a New York airport to shut down on Friday.
“We’ve seen lots of recent sightings in New York, New Jersey, Long Island, Staten Island. So it’s remarkable, with all these sightings over the last while, why do we have more questions than answers?” Schumer said Sunday.
“If the technology exists for a drone to make it up into the sky, there certainly is the technology that can track the craft with precision.”
Earlier Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the federal government is “deploying additional resources” to address the aerial drones.
“There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” Mayorkas said on ABC News “This Week.” “I want to assure the American public that we in the federal government have deployed additional resources, personnel, technology to assist the New Jersey State Police in addressing the drone sightings.”
Mayorkas said more than 1 million drones are registered in the U.S. A Chinese national living in Northern California was arrested last week on suspicion of flying a drone over restricted airspace — over Vandenberg Space Force Base, according to Mayorkas.
“It is our job to be vigilant,” he said. “If there is any reason for concern, if we identify any foreign involvement or criminal activity we will communicate with the American public accordingly. Right now we are not aware of any.”
