In a big step toward smarter, safer streets, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has launched the city’s first-ever Drone Operations Committee. The announcement came this week, with Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry named as chair of the new initiative.
The goal? To strengthen how drones are used across city agencies, from catching fleeing suspects and responding to emergencies to monitoring beaches for shark sightings and preventing dangerous subway surfing incidents.
“New Yorkers deserve to know that when there’s an emergency — whether it’s a terror threat, a protest, or a natural disaster — our administration is using every tool available to keep them safe,” says Adams. “Drones are the future of public safety.”
The new committee brings together leaders from multiple city agencies — including the NYPD, FDNY, Emergency Management, Parks and Recreation, Department of Buildings, and Department of Environmental Protection — to coordinate drone operations more effectively. Each agency will still retain control over its own drone program, but the committee will provide unified policy direction, encourage interagency collaboration, and oversee citywide training.
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Daughtry emphasizes the role drones already play in NYC’s public safety strategy. “Our public safety strategy is built on interagency coordination, real-time intelligence, and the smartest technology available,” he says. “Drones are a force multiplier. They give us eyes on the ground in seconds, help us coordinate evacuations, monitor critical infrastructure, and keep our first responders safe.”
As chair of the committee, Daughtry will oversee policy development and training initiatives that bring drone programs into tighter alignment. This includes expanding on projects already underway, like the NYPD’s “Drone as First Responder” initiative, which allows drones to autonomously deploy from police precincts and arrive at scenes within minutes to provide live situational awareness.
The city also uses drones to:
- Monitor swimmers and detect sharks at beaches
- Prevent injuries and fatalities from subway surfing
- Track criminal suspects attempting to flee
- Assess damage after emergencies or disasters
- Monitor large-scale events and critical infrastructure
For drone pilots, NYC’s move signals a growing reliance on drones in emergency response, and possibly more collaboration with private drone professionals in the future.
With this coordinated approach, the city aims to become a national model for safe, efficient, and life-saving drone use. As Adams puts it, the committee will ensure drone operations are “coordinated, strategic, and always focused on safeguarding the people of New York City.”
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