Because the FAA has received reports about unmanned aircraft systems (UAS, or “drones”) around JFK, the FAA is developing drone detecting technology. FAA Senior Advisor on UAS Integration, Marke “Hoot” Gibson, said “This effort at JFK reflects everyone’s commitment to safety.” The FAA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice, Queens District Attorney’s Office and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey participated in recent tests. U.S. Government is expanding on efforts to identify and deploy countermeasures to neutralize any threat posed by rogue UASs.
At JFK, five rotorcraft and fixed wing UAS participated in system evaluations this May. Approximately 40 tests took place. The JFK tests follow up on research performed at Atlantic City International Airport. Griffiss International Airport test site in Rome, NY, provided the flight commander, and expertise in planning the individual tests.
The NUAIR Alliance was part of the largest test of NASA’s UAS traffic management (UTM) research platform on April 19, 2016. That test consisted of 22 drones flying simultaneously at six different FAA UAS test site locations around the country.
Southwest Airlines flight WN-1224 had to return and make an emergency landing in Orlando, Florida, on May 24th.
