Sen. Schumer Wants Feds To Crack Down On Drones
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Sen. Charles Schumer is putting pressure on federal regulators to quickly put out new rules regulating the use of drones.
Schumer revealed Friday that there were two drone sightings last year at Westchester County Airport, including one that came in the path of a landing plane, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.
Sen. Schumer Wants Feds To Quickly Put Out New Drone Rules
"This is scary," Schumer said. "In too many ways, New York airspace has become the Wild West of drones and it must stop."
Last November, three pilots reported spotting drones flying near commercial aircraft on approach to John F. Kennedy International Airport. Another drone was also seen somewhere west of LaGuardia Airport.
Schumer is calling on the Federal Aviation Administration and the federal Office of Management and Budget to hurry and release the new rules for the use of the small, unmanned aircraft.
Sen. Schumer Calls For Release Of Drone Rules
"Get these rules out and get them out quickly," Schumer said. "We need them, drone users want them, flyers want them, average people want them."
He said the FAA has spelled out guidelines, but other federal agencies need to speed up the review and approval process, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.
Schumer said the "lack of clear rules" on the use of drones has "led to confusion, abuses and other dangerous situations."
Westchester County Airport's assistant manager Stephen Ferguson worries that warmer spring weather will bring on a plague of drones.
"We would like to see regulations as soon as possible from the FAA," Ferguson said.
