NYPD to Deploy Drone to Monitor Times Square on New Year’s Eve

The New York Police Department reportedly plans to use a drone, tethered to a building for safety reasons, to monitor Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

As New York City party-goers prepare for a night of festivities and fun as they ring in the new year, the New York Police Department is preparing for a busy night, and in its efforts to monitor Times Square this evening they’re planning on watching the crowd with a drone. According to Business Insider, the NYPD’s Chief of Department Terence Monahan told the Associated Press that the drone will be tethered to a building and flown over a cordoned-off area for safety purposes.

John Miller, the Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism, stated: “That’s going to give us a visual aid and the flexibility of being able to move a camera to a certain spot with great rapidity through a tremendous crowd.” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio stated recently that as many as two million visitors are expected to visit Times Square for the New Year’s Eve ceremony.

The NYPD also reportedly plans to deploy “counter drone technology” to prevent other drone enthusiasts from flying in the area. Authorities in England recently ran into some trouble when a drone appeared above Gatwick airport causing mass delays and flight cancelations.