New York City Deploys Drones to Warn Residents of Emergency Weather

New York City deployed drones on Tuesday in a new effort to warn residents about severe weather conditions.

According to the Associated Press (AP), citing footage released by the city’s emergency management agency, a recent demonstration of a drone equipped with a loudspeaker was seen flying over residential areas on Tuesday that issued urgent warnings about imminent heavy rains. The message from the drone urged residents to “be prepared to leave your location” and emphasized the importance of not hesitating if flooding occurs.

The deployment of drones came as New York city was placed under a Flood Watch and Travel Advisory on Tuesday. The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of New York and New Jersey when storms were expected to bring 3 to 5 inches of rain, damaging winds and flash flooding.

Five teams equipped with multiple drones were deployed to specific neighborhoods prone to flooding. Zach Iscol, the city’s emergency management commissioner, noted to the AP that the drone messages are also delivered in multiple languages to ensure accessibility in the diverse city.

This initiative, which phases out the traditional bullhorn, aims to alert residents about potential dangers from approaching storms, particularly those in vulnerable ground-floor and basement apartments.

In an emailed response for comment, a spokesperson for the New York City emergency management agency directed Newsweek to a post on X, formerly Twitter, announcing the initiative on Tuesday.

“For the first time, NYCEM is pivoting its beach safety surveillance mission to an early weather warning system. We will be working with partners at NYPD to broadcast critical safety messaging to historically flooded neighborhoods ahead of the storm using drones,” executive director of public information, Aries Dela Cruz wrote on X.

Flash floods have been deadly for New Yorkers living in basement apartments, and the severity of the issue was seen during Hurricane Ida in 2021 when eleven people drowned in flooded basement apartments.

During the time of Ida’s impact, the city’s infrastructure was not equipped to handle the severe weather. Over the course of the storm, New York’s subway stations turned into rapids, cars began to float and apartment buildings filled with water.

The new drones are part of a broader emergency communication strategy that includes social media, text alerts and a network of over 2,000 community-based organizations that serve seniors, people with disabilities and other at-risk groups.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams praised the use of drones and other advanced technologies to enhance city management and public safety during Tuesday’s press briefing, telling reporters that “you know, we live in a bubble, and we have to meet people where they are in notifications so they can be prepared.”

Adams’ administration has previously utilized drones to monitor large gatherings and search for sharks in waters near city beaches.

In addition, the New York City Police Department, under Adams’ leadership, has also experimented with robotic technology, including a robot patrol in Times Square and a robotic dog deployed in hazardous situations.