New York City recently implemented a new drone warning system to alert residents about hazardous weather conditions, but faced criticism when it was noted that the drones had trouble delivering messages in Spanish. A resident observed one of the drones issuing a flood warning in English and Spanish, with the Spanish message being described as “incomprehensible.” The incident sparked a conversation on social media, with one user questioning why the city couldn’t find a Spanish speaker to deliver the alert. Despite this issue, the drones were able to effectively communicate weather warnings in English, highlighting a clear disparity in language capabilities. Zach Iscol, the commissioner of NYC’s emergency management department, acknowledged the mistake and assured that measures would be taken to prevent a recurrence. The introduction of drones in emergency alerts was reportedly an initiative by NYC Mayor Eric Adams, known for implementing tech-heavy strategies like security robots in the Times Square subway station. This incident underscores the need for effective communication strategies in emergency response systems.
