With shark sightings on the rise along much of the Northeast coast this summer, the New York Police Department (NYPD) is using drones to patrol city beaches, giving lifeguards an aerial view to spot sharks before they get too close to swimmers.
The NYPD’s Technical Assistance Response Unit (TARU) uses drones for a wide range of public safety missions — from rescuing distressed swimmers and assisting search-and-rescue operations to monitoring crowded beaches and tracking sharks offshore.
Working alongside lifeguards, officers in the specialized, high-tech unit patrol the skies above city beaches, providing a precautionary aerial line of defense against the ocean’s most feared predators.
When a shark is spotted — a scenario that has become increasingly common this summer — drone operators immediately alert lifeguards, who clear swimmers from the water out of an abundance of caution.
According to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, 16 sharks were spotted between July 1 and July 5 off Rockaway Beach, with NYPD drones spotting seven of them, ABC 7 reported.
While shark attacks in New York remain rare, NYPD drone patrols provide an added layer of protection by helping lifeguards spot sharks before swimmers come into harm’s way.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, 12 unprovoked shark bites were recorded across more than 150 years prior to 2022, though recent years have seen a temporary spike in non-fatal encounters along Long Island and New York City waters.
With drones serving as an extra set of eyes in the sky, officials continue to work to ensure safety remains the top priority for visitors while allowing sharks to exist in their natural environment.
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