(AP) -- Sen. Charles Schumer says recent near misses between aerial drones and aircraft at New York City's Kennedy Airport show the need for federal regulations on the small, remote controlled aircraft.

The New York Democrat said Sunday that three near-misses at the airport have been reported in the last week. He says rules on the use of commercial drones must be crafted as soon as possible to prevent potentially deadly incidents.

Schumer says that while civilian drones have beneficial uses they can pose a hazard to other aircraft or pedestrians. He also says the devices can be used to violate a person's privacy.

Federal officials are now working on drone regulations. The senator says the rules must be expedited because the technology is becoming much more widely used.