New York Governor Kathy Hochul calls for federal intervention following a drone sighting that temporarily shut down runways at New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) for about an hour on the evening of December 13, 2024.
Stewart International Airport, located near Newburgh, is a commercial, corporate, and general aviation hub and also houses the New York Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing, among other military units.
In a statement released after the incident, Governor Hochul expressed frustration over the increasing frequency of drone-related disruptions and called for urgent federal action.
“This has gone too far […] In mid-November, I directed the New York State Intelligence Center to actively investigate drone sightings and coordinate with federal law enforcement to address this issue, and those efforts are ongoing. But in order to allow state law enforcement to work on this issue, I am now calling on Congress to pass the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act.”
The proposed legislation would enhance the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) oversight of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and grant select state and local law enforcement agencies expanded powers to counter unauthorized drone activity. Hochul emphasized the need for immediate measures to protect critical infrastructure and public safety.
“Extending these powers to New York State and our peers is essential,” Hochul added. “Until those powers are granted to state and local officials, the Biden Administration must step in by directing additional federal law enforcement to New York and the surrounding region.”
The drone sighting at Stewart adds to a series of drone activity in sensitive airspace around the US East Coast since November 2024, prompting renewed appeals for legislative and administrative action.