Drone Surge Detects More Sharks, But Threat Level Unchanged
Drones are detecting more sharks at US beaches, but experts question whether this makes the public safer. The increase in sightings may not reflect an actual rise in shark numbers, and there is little evidence that the threat to swimmers has increased, according to marine scientists and officials.
Greg Skomal, senior fisheries scientist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, noted: "The truth of the matter is, the number of sharks may not have increased, but certainly the fear factor can go up." The odds of being bitten by a shark are one in 4.3 million, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. In 2025, there were 65 unprovoked shark bites worldwide, below the 10-year average of 72, as reported by the Florida Museum of Natural History.
New York Invests Heavily in Drone Monitoring
Despite the low risk, New York state has increased spending on shark monitoring. In 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a 25% increase in lifeguard staffing and additional drone purchases. In 2023, she committed $1 million for drones and training, deploying 60 drones. This year, the state spent $322,000 on 16 more drones, according to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
"We're going to be harnessing the power of technology [and] the human capital of our lifeguards and making sure we're doing everything we can to literally take the bite out of any future shark encounters," Hochul said in 2023. In Australia, the New South Wales government recently announced a $34 million initiative to expand shark monitoring.
Drones Have Limitations, Experts Warn
Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach, said drones are effective for spotting surface sharks but have limitations. "The problem is, if visibility is bad, a shark can literally be 5ft (1.5 meters) below the surface, and you can't see them," Lowe explained. His lab uses acoustic receivers to detect tagged sharks, but he emphasizes this is a science tool, not an early warning system. "If the goal is to just put up surveillance and then pull people out of the water, you can do that, but it may be unnecessary, and it could have other consequences, like economic consequences," Lowe added. He noted that in thousands of flights, his team has not seen any footage of a shark acting aggressively toward a person.
False Sense of Security and Beach Closures
Suzanne Grout Thomas, retired director of community services in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, where great white sharks have increased due to a seal population rebound, said drones only work well in crystal-clear water, which is rare. She does not believe sharks pose a greater threat, as they prefer seals. Skomal warned that drones can provide a false sense of security, which is why many municipalities avoid investing in them.
In New York, if a drone spots a shark, lifeguards clear the water, said George Gorman, regional director at the state parks office. The state does not use tags or receivers. At New York City beaches, police deploy two-person drone teams. If a shark is identified, the parks department closes the beach for one mile in each direction for at least one hour. This year, shark sightings have caused 23 beach closures at the Rockaways since late May, compared to 11 by the same time last year and 11 in all of 2024.
Lowe urged officials to close beaches judiciously: "Otherwise, you have a situation where people are afraid to go in the water."
