A mysterious drone has been hovering over New Jersey and other states in the Northeast for weeks, worrying residents and demanding answers from lawmakers.
Drones have been lighting up the night sky since mid-November, with no explanation as to who is operating them or for what purpose. Many questions remain regarding unidentified flying objects, but here’s what we know.
When did drone sightings start?
The drone was first spotted in New Jersey on November 18th. The drones seem to appear late at night, but it is unclear whether they are present every night.
A senior official briefed on drone sightings in New Jersey told NBC News there are reports of sightings every night except Thanksgiving, and there are “almost no” reports of drones during the day.
NBC News has been tracking reports of possible drone sightings since at least Dec. 3, primarily in New Jersey.
Follow us to watch live coverage
Where was the drone seen?
Drones were first spotted in North Jersey, but now they appear to be popping up all over the state. NBC News is also tracking potential drone sightings in New York, Maryland and Florida.
FBI Baltimore said in a statement that it is aware of possible drone sightings in Maryland and Delaware.
Where do they come from and who is manipulating them?
These remain the biggest unknowns, with authorities unable to publicly determine where the mysterious objects are coming from or explain exactly what they are doing.
In a joint statement last week regarding reports of drones in New Jersey, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security said, “At this time, reported drone sightings threaten national security or public safety, or are linked to foreign There is no evidence that there is any connection.” ”
Authorities said they are working with the New Jersey State Police and their federal partners to investigate the situation.
In a statement, authorities said “none of the reported visual sightings have been corroborated by electronic detection.”
“On the contrary, after reviewing available images, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually legally operating manned aircraft,” the statement said. “There have been no reported or confirmed sightings of drones in restricted airspace.”
The Pentagon said they were not military-owned and did not come from an Iranian “mother ship” off the East Coast, as suggested by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (RN.J.) .
In a statement to NBC News, the U.S. Secret Service confirmed that it “currently does not operate unmanned aircraft systems in or around New Jersey or New York.”
Officials said the drone appears to be commercial grade, not recreational, and could be up to 6 feet in diameter.
How many drones have been discovered?
Mayors who attended a briefing last week with New Jersey officials and DHS representatives told NBC News that no state and federal agency officials could confirm exactly how many drones were seen over New Jersey. He said there was no one there.
One said he was aware of “at least 400 sightings” and another said “there could be thousands”.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said in a segment on radio station WBGO last week that there may be “over-reporting” of sightings, with many residents seeing the same device. He said other flying objects could be mistaken for drones.
A senior official briefed on drone sightings in New Jersey said there were 79 drone sightings in the state overnight from Thursday through Friday.
Multiple New Jersey officials have said up to 180 drone sightings occur per night.
What are officials and lawmakers saying?
Many federal officials, including the FBI, the lead agency investigating the matter, have said the drones do not appear to pose a threat, but have not provided further information.
The Federal Aviation Administration has launched a new website dedicated to drones that aims to answer frequently asked questions about flying objects.
But lawmakers and local officials have expressed dissatisfaction with the information from federal authorities and are demanding timely answers.
“We have no idea where these drones are coming from or who owns them. We need to do very urgent intelligence analysis and remove them from our skies,” said Richard, Democrat of Connecticut. -Senator Blumenthal said Thursday.
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said in a post on X on Friday that he saw “what appeared to be dozens of large drones” over his home in the state Thursday night.
He said the public is “increasingly concerned and frustrated by the lack of full transparency and the federal government’s dismissive attitude.”
“I join the growing voices of bipartisan leaders calling for the federal government to address this issue immediately,” Hogan said.
New Jersey Governor Murphy sent a letter to President Joe Biden, Senators Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell, Congressman Mike Johnson, and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries urging Congress to take action.
“I encourage Congress to pass legislation that will enable state and local law enforcement agencies to utilize advanced detection and mitigation technologies to combat unmanned aerial vehicles,” Murphy said.
Biden was briefed on the drones early last week.
What should I do if I see a drone?
According to the FAA’s drone website, drones must be operated by a pilot in a way that does not threaten people or property, and if you believe someone is flying a drone safely, please contact local law enforcement. Recommended.
But experts told NBC News it should never be shot down, even though some lawmakers suggested it should be shot down.
Experts said drone shooting is illegal and can cause serious injuries. The FAA classifies drones as aircraft, and under the Aircraft Interference Act, it is a federal crime to damage or destroy an aircraft, even if it is flying over private property. Masu.
“Civilians firing at any aircraft (including unmanned aircraft) poses a serious safety risk. Unmanned aircraft hit by fire may crash, causing damage to people or property on the ground. or collide with other objects in the air,” the FAA said.
A fire could also occur, said Pramod Abichandani, an associate professor and director of the school’s Advanced Air Mobility Laboratory at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. “Drones almost always have lithium batteries,” Abichandani said. “If you aim correctly and shoot, assuming you actually hit the drone, the drone will fall somewhere. Lithium batteries can explode and cause a fire, and of course can cause property damage. There is.”
Abichandani also mentioned the dangers of firing into the night sky.
“God forbid that a stray bullet should fall somewhere and hit somebody,” he said.
