The 2026 U.S. Open is bringing the world’s best tennis players to Queens—and apparently, a whole new level of air traffic control. As thousands of fans descend on the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the NYPD is preparing to stop unauthorized drones from buzzing above the tournament.
This year, however, there is a major difference: the NYPD can now handle rogue drones on its own.
Under the newly enacted Safer Skies Act, the department has independent authority to conduct counter-drone operations at major events. That means NYPD counter-drone teams can detect, track and electronically neutralize unauthorized drones without waiting for federal agents to step in. The U.S. Open will be the first major event where the department uses that new authority.
And with more than a million spectators expected throughout the tournament, police aren’t exactly taking chances. Hundreds of officers will patrol the tennis center and nearby transit areas around the clock, while specialized units—including aviation, bomb squad, emergency services, intelligence and counterterrorism teams—will also be deployed.
The concern isn’t entirely theoretical. Drones have become an increasingly common headache at major sporting events, and officials say several were intercepted during World Cup matches earlier this year. The NYPD will also operate under a federal temporary flight restriction covering the U.S. Open grounds, giving officers additional authority to take countermeasures against unauthorized aircraft.
For spectators, that means one more thing to leave at home along with oversized bags and questionable sunscreen: your drone.
So while the tennis stars battle it out on the court, the NYPD will have its own competition happening overhead. At the U.S. Open in New York City, the message to rogue drones is simple: game, set, grounded.
