New York’s Response to a Flurry of Shark Attacks? Send In the Drones

Following five reported encounters during the July Fourth weekend, New York’s governor rolled out more eyes in the sky.

Monday, July 17, 2023 at 04:13 PM ET

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (center) observes park police as they operate a drone over Jones Beach in Nassau County. [Courtesy: Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul]

Key Takeaways:

In response to a recent increase in shark encounters, New York is significantly expanding its drone surveillance program, growing its fleet to 60 units for coastal monitoring across Long Island, NYC, and Westchester.
These drones, operated by police and beach staff, conduct daily patrols and respond to incidents, monitoring sharks, their prey, and environmental factors to enhance beach safety and reduce public fear.
The state is investing $1 million to procure drones and train staff for this initiative, making New York the first state to directly supply this advanced technology to local safety personnel for shark monitoring.

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As New York contends with a flurry of shark attacks—including five in two days over Fourth of July weekend, three fewer than the state recorded in all of 2022—Gov. Kathy Hochul has decided the best way to monitor the sea is from the sky.

It’s possible the rise in shark encounters is simply a fluke: There were actually fewer attacks in 2022 than in the previous year, and the rate of them has remained steady over the past few decades. But on Friday, recognized internationally as Shark Awareness Day, Hochul announced a major expansion of New York’s efforts to combat shark attacks with drones.