The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has temporarily banned drone flights over various infrastructure sites in New Jersey and New York.
This decision comes after reports of unidentified drones flying over New Jersey and other East Coast states since November 2024, prompting renewed appeals for legislative and administrative action.
On December 20, 2024, the FAA released multiple Notice to Air Missions (NOTAMs) prohibiting most drones from flying over 20 cities in both New York and New Jersey. According to the FAA order, no unmanned aircraft can fly below 400 feet within one nautical mile of the airspace specified in each town. The ban for both states is in effect from December 18, 2025, until January 17, 2025.
The ban applies to cities in New Jersey, including Cedar Grove, Bridgewater, North Brunswick, Metuchen, South Brunswick, Edison, Branchburg, Sewaren, Jersey City, Harrison, Hudson County, Elizabeth, Bayonne, Clifton, Kearny, Hamilton, Mercer County, Burlington, Evesham, Camden, Gloucester City, Westampton, Winslow, Hancocks Bridge, Salem County.
Additionally, the ban applies to New York cities, such as New Hyde Park, Glenwood Landing, Garden City, Commack, Lynbrook, Oceanside, Roslyn Heights, Staten Island, Bronx, Holbrook, New Castle, Holtsville, Queens, Shoreham, Hicksville, Yonkers, Setauket, Melville, Northport, Calverton, Far Rockaway, Brooklyn, New York, Ridge cities.
The flight restrictions surround power stations defined by the US Department of Homeland Security as “critical.” The agency said that the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution” and that it saw “no evidence of a threat” in the different reported sightings.
On December 19, 2024, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced in a statement that since mid-November, the state has been closely monitoring reports of drone activity, adding that the decision is “purely precautionary” and there is “no threat to these sites.”
“We will continue aggressively monitoring the situation as we call on Congress to pass legislation to give states and local law enforcement the authority and resources they need to manage this evolving technology,” Hochul said. “Public safety is my top priority and I will stop at nothing to keep my constituents safe.”
The FAA added that it is extending the ban on drones flying over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, until January 31, 2025.
A Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) on the FAA’s website states that pilots who do not follow the following rules may be “intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement/security personnel.” Additionally, the US government “may use deadly force against the airborne aircraft, if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat.”