New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy sent a letter to President Joe Biden demanding answers.
New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim went on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey on Thursday night, and posted about it on X.
Although Murphy and law enforcement officials stress that drones do not appear to pose a threat to public safety, many state and local lawmakers are still pushing for stricter rules for who can operate unmanned aircraft. I’m looking for it.
The FBI has several agencies investigating and is asking residents to share any videos, photos or other information they may have about the drone.
What’s going on with drones in New Jersey?
Dozens of witnesses have reported seeing them around the state since November.
They were first spotted flying along the scenic Raritan River, which feeds Round Valley Reservoir, the state’s largest aquifer, about 80 kilometers west of New York City.
But soon sightings were reported across the state, including near Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.
The aircraft has also been spotted in coastal areas recently.
Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said he was told by the Coast Guard commander that more than a dozen drones closely followed the Guard’s lifeboat near Barnegat Lighthouse and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County over the weekend. He said that he was
Federal officials say drones are not a threat
The Biden administration is not succumbing to the growing anxiety among some residents. The Biden administration has faced criticism from President Trump for not addressing the issue more aggressively.
In a call with reporters Saturday hosted by the White House, senior officials from the FBI, Defense Department, FAA and other agencies said drones do not pose a threat to national security or public safety, or that they could be used by malicious actors. He tried to assure the public that it was not the work of someone else. Foreign actor.
An FBI official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to White House rules, said he understood the public’s concerns, but added: “I think there was some overreaction.”
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday that the military’s initial assessment — that the drones are not foreign-made — remains unchanged after consulting with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Council.
New Jersey lawmaker calls for military action
New Jersey lawmakers have asked the Pentagon to authorize the use of force to destroy one or more drones to determine who deployed them.
Smith said at a news conference Saturday that the object could fall at sea or in a sparsely populated area on land.
“Why can’t we bag at least one drone and get to the bottom of it?” Smith said.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a fellow Jersey Shore Republican, also called on the military to shoot down the drone.
Monmouth County Sheriff Sean Golden said people should not shoot down drones themselves because that would be a violation of state and federal law.
Drone spotted over New York City
Drone sightings are currently being reported in New York City, which requires a permit, and Mayor Eric Adams said the city is investigating and working with New Jersey state and federal authorities.
The runway at Stewart International Airport, about 60 miles north of the city, was closed for about an hour Friday night due to drone activity in the airspace, Gov. Cathy Hochul said.
“This has gone too far,” she said in a statement.
The governor called on Congress to strengthen FAA oversight of drones and give state and local law enforcement more investigative authority.
“Extending these powers to New York and other states is essential,” she said. “Until these powers are granted to state and local officials, the Biden administration will need to direct and intervene with additional federal law enforcement in New York and the surrounding area to ensure the safety of critical infrastructure and the public.” be.”
Are these drones dangerous?
The White House said a review of reported sightings indicates that many are actually legally flying manned aircraft, echoing the opinion of officials and drone experts. said.
The federal Department of Homeland Security and the FBI also said in a joint statement that there was no evidence the sightings posed a “threat to national security or public safety, or any foreign ties.”
Rep. Dawn Fantasia, briefed by the Department of Homeland Security, said the drones have been reported to be up to 1.8 meters in diameter and sometimes fly with their lights off.
It’s much larger than what drone enthusiasts typically fly, she said, and appears to evade detection by traditional methods such as helicopters and radios.
Officials say they don’t know.
The FBI, Department of Homeland Security and state police are investigating the sighting. Officials say they don’t know if the repeated sightings are of a single drone or if multiple aircraft are flying together.
Speculation is rife online, with some raising concerns that the drones could be part of a sinister plot by foreign agents.
Rep. Smith echoed such speculation on Saturday, although officials have stressed that ongoing state and federal investigations have found no evidence to support such concerns.
“The elusive maneuvering of these drones signals an increase in military sophistication, perhaps by violent authoritarian states such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, to test our defense capabilities, or even Worse, it raises the question of whether these drones were ever deployed,” he said.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Wednesday that the aircraft was not a U.S. military drone.
What are officials saying about the sightings?
President Trump said he believes the government knows more than it’s saying. “Let the people know. Now. Or shoot them down!!!” he posted on his social media site.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Thursday that drones should be “shot down if necessary.”
“We should conduct very urgent intelligence analysis and remove them from the sky, especially if they are flying over airports or military bases,” Blumenthal said.
But experts warn against shooting at anything in the sky.
Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, who lives near Round Valley Reservoir, where there have been numerous sightings, said she doesn’t believe the claim that drones pose no threat to public safety. Ta.
“How can you say it’s not a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. I think that’s why so many people feel anxious.
Are drones allowed in New Jersey?
Drone flying for recreational and commercial purposes is legal in the state, but is subject to local aviation administration and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions.
In New York City, permits are required for unmanned aircraft to take off and land.
Operators must be FAA certified.
Have drones been seen elsewhere?
Sightings have also been reported in Virginia and other states.
Two people said they saw an aircraft near Virginia Beach Thursday night that was unlike any they had ever seen.
The object was at sea and they observed it moving slowly over an Army National Guard facility, John Knight told The Virginian-Pilot.
“It was definitely different,” said Knight, who took video of the drone, which appeared to be about the size of a pickup truck.
Truth Social CEO selected for intelligence role under Trump administration
“It flew like a helicopter, but without the noise,” he added.
Spokesman AA “Cotton” Puryear said the Virginia National Guard had no aircraft operating in the area Thursday night. Company leadership is aware of this incident and is currently investigating.
Another military installation in the area is Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex. NAS Oceana, the East Coast master jet base in Virginia Beach, is aware of recent reports of sightings in the area and is coordinating with federal and state agencies to ensure the safety of personnel and operations. Public information officer Katie Hewett said. Friday by email.
Knight submitted the video to the FBI tip line Thursday night.
In Massachusetts, 10 to 15 drones were reported flying over homes in Harwich, Cape Cod on Thursday night. The resident told police they were bright and she observed them for over an hour.
According to police, an off-duty police officer in the same town noticed a similar act taking place near a public safety facility earlier that evening. This information was forwarded to the FBI and Massachusetts State Police.
Drones were also spotted in the United States last month. The US Air Force announced that several small unmanned aircraft were detected near four British military bases used by the US military.
