NYPD will deploy a drone at Times Square on New Year's Eve

Security at Times Square tends to be extra-tight on New Year's Eve, but it's now poised to have some robotic support. The NYPD is deploying one of its new camera-toting drones at the event for the first time, giving it an aerial surveillance tool that's decidedly closer to the action than a conventional aircraft or helicopter. The machine will not only watch for trouble in the crowd, but wield "counter-drone technology" to keep potentially hostile vehicles at bay. There hasn't been any credible terrorist threat against the event this year. This is really more of a litmus test for police drone use -- can they be useful for observing such large crowds?