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NYPD is training to take down drones ahead of World Cup, Sept. 11 anniversary
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Feb 24, 2026
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By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Feb 24, 2026
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NYPD officers have been trained in anti-drone technology to keep New Yorkers safe during high-profile events like the World Cup this summer and the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks this fall — and the department should get full authority to use it, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and an NYPD spokesperson said.
Up to now, the NYPD has had no authority to take down drones, even when they are suspected in wrongdoing. Only a handful of federal agencies are authorized to do that.
A law passed by Congress at the end of last year is expected to change the situation, and not just in New York City: Municipalities around the country are expected to get the same power.
Tisch says this power is essential as criminals and terrorists increasingly use drones to transport narcotics, eavesdrop on law enforcement, fire guns and drop explosives.
“If there’s one threat that keeps me up at night, it’s drones,” she said at her State of the NYPD address earlier this month.
Security experts said they agree with the threat risk. But they told Gothamist the power to shoot down drones could also present unexpected challenges.
Local authority
The federal government began to take threats posed by drones seriously soon after a number of incidents overseas. In 2017, the Islamic State used drones to drop explosives on Iraqi troops during a battle for territory in the country, said Brandon Youngblood, a drone expert and former Federal Aviation Administration official.
After those incidents, Congress passed a number of laws allowing certain federal agencies to use tech that could take down drones when they pose a threat to the United States, Youngblood said.
Then in 2024, some hysteria took hold in New Jersey after residents reported mysterious drone sightings. Youngblood said that helped reignite a debate over whether local authorities should have the authority to down the unmanned aircraft.
President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act in December, extending the authority to take down drones to local law enforcement agencies. Agencies from across the country can now be trained in the tech and will be granted authority to use it after finalizing guidelines with the federal government.
How does it work?
The NYPD has not said what anti-drone tech they’ve been trained to use, but Youngblood and another drone expert, L. Scott Parker, said the tactics available include things like scrambling a drone’s radio frequency to take over its controls or even launching a second drone to shoot a net at it, forcing it to fall out of the sky.
Parker, who previously served in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said an agency like the NYPD will also likely use what he called “intercept teams.” That means tracking down the location of a drone pilot on the ground and dispatching officers to determine if they are actually a threat.
The U.S. military has also used more aggressive tech to intercept drones. This can mean using high-energy lasers to take down drones, or launching a second unmanned aircraft to intercept a drone and shoot a net at it to capture it, according to Youngblood and Parker.
The high-energy lasers are a point of contention among federal agencies because they have the ability to down actual aircraft, such as airplanes, Youngblood said. The NYPD did not say if its officers are trained to use that tech.
Parker said while drones can be used for violence and terrorism, like a targeted attack on a stadium, NYPD officers in most cases will find they are being flown irresponsibly by hobbyists.
“Terrorism represents the highest-impact risk. But on a day-to-day basis, irresponsible use poses the more routine challenge — and both must be addressed,” Parker said.
Local law enforcement agencies who want to use the tech will have to complete a training course led by the FBI in Alabama, according to Parker.
After the training, an agency like the NYPD will have to develop clear guidelines with a variety of federal agencies for when they can use the tech and under what circumstances, he added.
Some risks
In worst-case scenarios, intercepting a drone could create a more dangerous situation than the drone being present in the first place, Youngblood said.
In some instances, he said, authorities trying to intercept drones have actually caused them to climb thousands of feet into the air, creating a potentially hazardous situation for helicopters and other aircraft, he said.
It could pose a real issue in an area like New York City, which is the busiest aviation hub in the country.
“That's a big problem, especially when you're talking like in an airport environment,” he said.
But Parker said he is confident that an agency like the NYPD will be properly trained to use the tech. He noted federal agencies have been working “hand in glove” with local law enforcement during events like the U.N. General Assembly.
“I have real faith and confidence, especially in a place like the NYPD, that you won't see a lot of these challenges,” he said.
Tagged
Jessica Tisch
drones
new york city
nypd
public safety
technology
Ben Feuerherd
Ben Feuerherd covers public safety and policing for WNYC and Gothamist. He previously covered federal courts for The New York Post and The Messenger. His work has also appeared in POLITICO, the Daily Beast and NBC New York. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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