Unsafe drone overflight from the kayak launch area at 2021 NYS Fair

The New York State Fair is one of the nation's biggest public events, drawing more than 1 million people each year. As the Fair opens on Aug. 24, the New York State Police will again rely on Hidden Level, developers of sensor solutions for low-altitude airspace monitoring, to provide drone tracking services, enabling law enforcement drone mitigation response for any unauthorized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in public spaces.

Hidden Level provides the world's first low-altitude airspace monitoring service for both security and air traffic needs. The airspace monitoring service (AMS) is a cloud-based, scalable and cost-effective solution that integrates directly into virtually any video management software, security operations center or situational awareness platform.

"Airspace monitoring in public venues is only increasing in importance as drone technologies become an everyday reality," said Jeff Cole, chief executive officer and co-founder. "Our partnership with the New York State Fair demonstrates the power of a counter-unmanned aircraft system (CUAS) in enhancing public safety, and its value for any major outdoor event. We're pleased to be able to assist the Fair again this year."

Hidden Level debuted at the New York State Fair in 2021 and completed 18 full days of AMS across 5+ square miles of the Empire Expo Center, also known as the New York State Fairgrounds.

Over the course of the mission, Hidden Level's CUAS monitor tracked cooperative and non-cooperative drones, including multi-drone scenarios, and provided Fair organizers with statistics and debrief deliverables. Among the findings:

• Identified 211 drone events, excluding known New York State Police and cooperating agency flights.
• Several were multiple events from a single drone operator.
• Most drone activity occurs in evening hours, with consistent activity also occurring in early morning.
• Identified multiple drones flying above the maximum legal altitude of 400 feet.

Tracking potentially illegal drone flights illustrates the burden on collaborating public safety organizations and security teams. Hidden Level's technology assists those agencies by easily integrating with common security platforms to protect large coverage areas.

Unlike many other drone-monitoring solutions, Hidden Level is completely software-based with no expensive hardware to repurchase and update. Clients like the New York State Police receive quarterly updates from Hidden Level to keep systems equipped with the latest technology.

Following this year's New York State Fair, Hidden Level is finalizing updated permanent installation sites to provide comprehensive coverage of the surrounding Onondaga Lake area, St Joseph's Lakeview Amphitheatre, and Fairgrounds for year-round usage during public events and concerts.

"We are excited to continue our partnership with the New York State Police and give law enforcement the additional capabilities they need as drone usage continues to grow," said James Licata, Hidden Level's VP of Strategy & Partnerships.

For more information, visit: http://www.hiddenlevel.com.

About Hidden Level

Founded in 2018, Hidden Level is led by a team of skilled sensor experts with more than a decade of experience building innovative sensor solutions for both military and commercial customers. Hidden Level's airspace monitoring service delivers the only industry solution that provides secure, accurate low-altitude airspace monitoring at scale. By eliminating the burden of owning, operating and maintaining expensive and rapidly changing sensor technology equipment, Hidden Level provides its customers only what is necessary—real-time, actionable data at a fraction of the cost.

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Maria Penaloza
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Unsafe drone overflight from the kayak launch area at 2021 NYS Fair