500 Drones Will Fly Over Central Park this New Year’s

Mystery drones have been spotted flying over the Northeast since November–raising questions, spawning conspiracy theories, and causing anxiety across the country. But if you spot drones over Central Park this New Years, there’s no need to worry. They’re exactly where they’re supposed to be, and unlike the drones which have been dominating recent headlines, you’ll know exactly who’s behind them.

Advertisement

The New York Road Runners, organizers of the annual Midnight Run, are planning a massive running-themed drone show. The show will feature about 500 drones and is specifically geared towards Midnight Run participants. That means those who want a proper look will have to head to the designated “frozen zone” on the 72nd Street transverse, south of the Bethesda Fountain.

While Central Park has played host to multiple drone shows in the past, this one comes due to a fireworks ban put into place by Mayor Adams in November, when the city issued its first drought warning in 22 years. The ban came after a number of fires across the city and surrounding areas, fueled by dry wood and vegetation.

Fortunately, the fireworks ban was lifted after a rainy start to December, with rainfall measuring more than three-quarters of an inch above the norm. However, that doesn’t mean the danger has passed, the mayor said in a statement:

“We’ve received enough rain in the five boroughs to lift our fireworks and open flame ban, but I want to be clear, we’re nowhere near out of the woods yet…New Yorkers who get permits for these activities should enjoy them, but we need you to use the utmost levels of caution to prevent fires and keep our parks safe. And the rain we’ve received isn’t nearly the additional foot of rain we’d need to replenish our upstate reservoirs, so we need all New Yorkers to continue conserving water whenever you can.”

With all this in mind, the Road Runners have decided to stick to the drone show this year, citing “the drought and recent park fires” as reason enough to skip the fireworks, and they’re not the only ones. The Prospect Park Alliance is also ditching fireworks for drones. Their light show will focus on broader New York themes highlighting iconic landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty.

Advertisement

While these planned drone shows promise a dazzling New Year’s Eve, recent weeks have seen a surge in mysterious drone sightings across the Northeast. The FBI has received over 5,000 calls and reports, though many of these sightings have been attributed to mundane objects like airplanes, helicopters, stars, and even one call that turned out to be the planet Venus.

Though the NYPD reports no significant increase in the number of drones spotted by the police, authorities remain vigilant. The Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies are investigating reports of drone activity near military installations in New Jersey and even Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course.

So far, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby says the government has not seen any evidence that the drones pose “any national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the Northeast.” However, based on the number of reports, it’s clear that many Americans still remain skeptical.

Have a news tip? Send it to us here!