The CEO of a drone manufacturing company, whose clients include the Israel Defense Forces, has expressed concerns that New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani’s “pro-Palestinian” stance has led to his business being excluded from the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Company, tasked with overseeing the 300-acre site at the Mayor’s request, announced last week that it would not extend Easy Aerial’s lease, attributing the decision to “business reasons.”
Shahar Abuhajira, CEO of Easy Aerial, mentioned in a conversation on Thursday that he discovered through discussions with Navy Yard executives that Mamdani was behind the termination of their seven-year relationship with the city.
“There was definitely pressure from the mayor’s office suggesting they should not contest this,” he recounted.
For quite a while, Easy Aerial has faced protests at the former Navy Yard. This began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, igniting what is now considered the Gaza War. A group advocating for the “Demilitarization of the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard” has been pressuring to evict tenants linked to Israel.
Abukhajira remarked that security measures at the Navy Yard seemed to have relaxed since Mamdani took office, noting an uptick in break-in attempts that resulted in vandalism.
During a recent rally on February 11, demonstrators against Israel were granted access to a building leased by Easy Aerial for six hours, even mocking co-founder Ivan Stamatovsky as he was escorted by police.
Easy Aerial provides surveillance drones for military reconnaissance and has significant operations with the U.S. Air Force, monitoring activities along the Mexican border and ensuring security at major events like the Super Bowl.
With around 100 employees, the company has received offers to relocate from New York City since the news broke about its lease termination, but they prefer to stay due to most employees living in Brooklyn. Additionally, the business is weighing legal options since it must vacate the yard by the end of June.
Abukhajira noted, “Five months ago, we expanded our space without any issues. But since the new mayor took office, everything has changed.” He added, “This is going to be very costly for us. Relocating a company in such a short timeframe isn’t easy.”
The mayor’s office has not responded to requests for comment, while Navy Yard representative Claire Holmes claimed the decision was made before Mamdani took office.
Holmes stated, “BNYDC refused to renew Easy Aerial’s lease in December 2025 following ongoing compliance issues from 2023, which included unauthorized drone flights and misuse of public utilities.”
She emphasized that communication regarding these issues had been ongoing for three years, and no other factors influenced the decision.
Furthermore, she mentioned that the Navy Yard had connected Easy Aerial with Empire State Development Corporation to assist in finding a new location better suited for drone operations.
