Shark-spotting drones to be at NYC beaches every day through rest of summer
ROCKAWAY BEACH, Queens (WABC) -- At Rockaway Beach on a Summer Friday, it was one of those nights you could bottle up the weather.
Frisbees spun, kites took flight, the boardwalk was packed and the beach was crowded. The ocean, except for a few brave surfers, was empty.
An FDNY drone was spotted earlier Friday afternoon.
"To hear that there, and they weren't letting anyone in - I thought that was great," said Karina Santos.
"It was nice that they closed everything first and then checked everything out and they cleared it," added Ronnie Mani.
Meanwhile, the NYPD announced Friday along with the FDNY that they will be operating shark-spotting drones at all city beaches every day through the rest of the summer.
"A drone can get up there, see things, extra eyes in the sky - we can get closer to the water," said NYPD Inspector Frank DiGiacomo.
"I think it's a good step to like just having an eye on the sharks because it's very rare for that to happen here," said Ciara Gaglio.
The drones are up at 9 a.m., before the beach is open, scanning for danger.
However, Jesus Scott says the drones make him feel less safe - and he is from Rockaway Beach. He used to swim every day, but that was before a recent shark attack there.
"If the drones is out there, something is out there! You got drones every day for the whole summer? I ain't getting in the water," he said.
While both the NYPD and FDNY will operate the drones throughout the rest of the summer, the city hopes to have Parks Department workers trained to operate their own drones for shark surveillance by next summer.
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