7 On Your Side Investigates is tracking an increase in drones spotted in restricted airspace. The FAA says it's not only illegal, but it can also be very dangerous.
From January 2024 through June 2026, there have been 458 drone sightings near airports in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. That includes 49 at EWR, 79 at JFK and 123 at LGA.
A commercial pilot reported hitting a drone last month while descending at JFK airport. A few weeks ago, there was a near miss reported between a plane and a drone at Newark.
And those are just the sightings that have been reported to the FAA.
"You can take down an aircraft, you could cause serious harm to people, you could cause serious accidents in general," said Adam Kyle, a certified drone teacher with Precision Agriculture.
Not only are unauthorized drones not allowed near airports, but they're not allowed to be flown above 400 feet.
In most cases in the tri-state, they're being reported at altitudes much higher than that.
An FAA report shows a drone spotted near Newark at 16,000 feet, it "almost hit" the left wing of an aircraft. And another report at LGA shows a drone spotted at 2,400 feet. The report states the plane descended to avoid the object.
"Drones can see planes, planes cannot see drones," said Kyle.
Drone sightings can lead to airports shutting down runways, causing flight delays. A strike could lead to much worse.
"It's completely unsafe, a complete violation of the rules," said Michael McCormick, from VP of the FAA.
It can be especially dangerous if a drone hits the nose or the engine of a plane or strikes a helicopter.
"When you have all these drones operating close to LaGuardia airport, it's really pushing that airport past the limit of safety and efficiency," said McCormick.
In the first half of 2026, the FAA recorded 919 reported sightings nationally. There were 1,859 reported sightings in 2025 and 1,674 reported sightings in 2024. Across the country, from 2017 through April of this year, "there have been at least 17 confirmed or probable drone collisions with airplanes, helicopters, and hot air balloons, causing significant damage," according to the FAA.
In a statement, the FAA said:
"The FAA's role is to ensure drones operate safely within the broader National Airspace System. The FAA receives more than 100 drone-sighting reports near airports each month, and we want to send a clear message that operating drones around airplanes, helicopters, and airports is dangerous and illegal.
Unauthorized operators are subject to stiff fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time.
Generally speaking, it is legal to fly a drone in most locations if you're operating under 400 feet, but there are rules - including avoiding restricted airspace including the airspace around airports. When pilots report drone activity around an airport, air traffic controllers contact local law enforcement to try to locate the operator and they may adjust aircraft operations to ensure safety."
"They are taking enforcement much more seriously and that can lead to steep civil penalties, fines and potential legal recourse as well," said Kyle. "As we move forward, we will start to see drones play a much larger role in all spaces of society," he said.
When a drone's spotted, air traffic controllers report it to local law enforcement who then tries to locate the operator.
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