Drone flights limited in New York temporarily due to worries about recent sightings.

Responding to an increase in sightings, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed additional restrictions on drone flights in the Northeast on Friday.

Following the announcement of temporary restrictions in New Jersey, the FAA issued 27 No-Fly Zone notices for “special security reasons” in New York the next day.

The restrictions last through Jan. 18, 2025, and apply to some of the most populated areas in the Empire State, including nearly every NYC borough. 

An investigation involving the FBI, FAA, Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense uncovered nearly 5,000 reports of alleged drone sightings in the past few weeks, with only 100 of them resulting in actionable leads.

Though the agencies said on Monday they have found no risk during their investigation thus far, they have urged Congress to enact legislation that would “extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge.”

As of early Friday morning, no other states have issued such notices amid the influx of reported sightings across the Northeast, according to the FAA website.