Uptick in drone sightings around Gabreski Airport prompts warning from Suffolk County and rollout of detection technology
A recent surge in drone activity around Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach disrupted New York Air National Guard flights and prompted county and law enforcement officials to install a mobile advanced drone detection technology system, officials said Friday.
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. said officials documented 28 drones near the airport between Dec. 13-25, with the majority of the sightings occurring on Christmas Day when nearby residents may have received a drone as a gift.
At a news conference Friday, Toulon and county officials urged residents to be aware of FAA guidelines for operating drones and how violating those regulations can result in arrest and fines. The drones around the airport follow a growing trend of activity in the skies across the tristate area that first garnered headlines in New Jersey in November.
"Flying drones near airports poses a significant risk to air traffic and public safety," Toulon said.
The sheriff said authorities don’t believe there’s an imminent threat or public risk to the airport or county at large, but rather the recent incidents highlight how people are either unaware of the law or disregarding it.
Toulon said one drone was spotted on Dec. 13. There were four sightings "in and around the airspace" on Dec. 17, followed by an additional six sightings on Dec. 24. On Christmas Day there were 17. Prior to that, reports of drone sightings had been "very sporadic," he said.
There have not been additional sightings since then, officials said. Law enforcement did not identify any drone operators from those December flights, Toulon said.
The county-operated airport includes the civilian side and the base for the 106th Rescue Wing of the Air National Guard.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Christopher Brockmeyer said one drone reported last month was spotted over the Air Guard’s high-speed taxiway.
"They had to shut down flights with the [HC-130's] over the last few weeks because of the activity," he said, while adding that he was unaware of any disrupted civilian flights.
County Executive Edward P. Romaine called on the FAA "to empower the FBI to begin an investigation of these drones."
Toulon said airport officials are working with the Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services to install a drone detection system at the airport. He said that will help officials "identify and respond quickly to unauthorized drone activity."
Brockmeyer said the mobile system could be operational by the end of the day. A county spokesperson said the Dedrone system technology had previously been purchased through federal homeland security funding.
Brockmeyer said the system can help identify where a drone took off and an identification number associated with it. Law enforcement can use that information to track down the operator, he said.
"If we’re finding that it’s nefarious and that they’re actually trying to disrupt air traffic, there could be criminal charges," he said. "That’s not our goal here. Our goal is to just get the message out and hopefully people will understand the rules required to operate in this airspace."
The restricted airspace around Gabreski spans about 5 miles, Brockmeyer said, but the altitude restriction depends on the distance from the airport.
Brockmeyer said some drones may automatically fail to launch within restricted airspace. But not all manufacturers implement that technology, he said, and some operators may find ways to override it.
The FBI received more than 5,000 tips of reported drone sightings as of mid-December. The sightings based on "technical data and tips from concerned citizens" have been determined to be a combination of commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones as well as manned aircraft and even "stars mistakenly reported as drones," according to a joint statement from the FBI, FAA and Department of Homeland Security released Dec. 16.
A recent surge in drone activity around Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach disrupted New York Air National Guard flights and prompted county and law enforcement officials to install a mobile advanced drone detection technology system, officials said Friday.
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. said officials documented 28 drones near the airport between Dec. 13-25, with the majority of the sightings occurring on Christmas Day when nearby residents may have received a drone as a gift.
At a news conference Friday, Toulon and county officials urged residents to be aware of FAA guidelines for operating drones and how violating those regulations can result in arrest and fines. The drones around the airport follow a growing trend of activity in the skies across the tristate area that first garnered headlines in New Jersey in November.
"Flying drones near airports poses a significant risk to air traffic and public safety," Toulon said.
The sheriff said authorities don’t believe there’s an imminent threat or public risk to the airport or county at large, but rather the recent incidents highlight how people are either unaware of the law or disregarding it.
Toulon said one drone was spotted on Dec. 13. There were four sightings "in and around the airspace" on Dec. 17, followed by an additional six sightings on Dec. 24. On Christmas Day there were 17. Prior to that, reports of drone sightings had been "very sporadic," he said.
There have not been additional sightings since then, officials said. Law enforcement did not identify any drone operators from those December flights, Toulon said.
The county-operated airport includes the civilian side and the base for the 106th Rescue Wing of the Air National Guard.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Christopher Brockmeyer said one drone reported last month was spotted over the Air Guard’s high-speed taxiway.
"They had to shut down flights with the [HC-130's] over the last few weeks because of the activity," he said, while adding that he was unaware of any disrupted civilian flights.
County Executive Edward P. Romaine called on the FAA "to empower the FBI to begin an investigation of these drones."
Toulon said airport officials are working with the Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services to install a drone detection system at the airport. He said that will help officials "identify and respond quickly to unauthorized drone activity."
Brockmeyer said the mobile system could be operational by the end of the day. A county spokesperson said the Dedrone system technology had previously been purchased through federal homeland security funding.
Brockmeyer said the system can help identify where a drone took off and an identification number associated with it. Law enforcement can use that information to track down the operator, he said.
"If we’re finding that it’s nefarious and that they’re actually trying to disrupt air traffic, there could be criminal charges," he said. "That’s not our goal here. Our goal is to just get the message out and hopefully people will understand the rules required to operate in this airspace."
The restricted airspace around Gabreski spans about 5 miles, Brockmeyer said, but the altitude restriction depends on the distance from the airport.
Brockmeyer said some drones may automatically fail to launch within restricted airspace. But not all manufacturers implement that technology, he said, and some operators may find ways to override it.
The FBI received more than 5,000 tips of reported drone sightings as of mid-December. The sightings based on "technical data and tips from concerned citizens" have been determined to be a combination of commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones as well as manned aircraft and even "stars mistakenly reported as drones," according to a joint statement from the FBI, FAA and Department of Homeland Security released Dec. 16.
Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.
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