On Thursday, The White House said they can explain the recent drone sightings over New Jersey, but lawmakers aren’t convinced. And drone dealers are worried about the impact these recent concerns could have on the industry. NBC New York’s Chris Glorioso reports.
The large, mysterious drones reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security.
In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off.
The Morris County Republican was among several state and local lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the spate of sightings that range from the New York City area through New Jersey and westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia.
The devices do not appear to be being flown by hobbyists, Fantasia wrote.
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Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month and have raised growing concern among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility; and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.
Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey were larger than those typically used by hobbyists.
The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once.
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Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to threaten public safety. The FBI has been investigating and has asked residents to share any videos, photos or other information they may have. Any info on possible sightings along the Raritan River is asked to be reported to the FBI, state police or New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.
The FBI said in a statement there was "no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus." The agency added that there have been previous "cases of mistaken identity, where reported drones are, in fact, manned aircraft or facilities."
None of the reported or confirmed drone sightings have occurred in restrict air space, the FBI said.
Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, U.S. Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones. Drew also recently claimed an Iranian mothership was responsible for launching them off the coast, an allegation the Pentagon denied.
Shooting down drones for flying over property is not an option for civilians; it's a federal crime. But on his weekly radio show, the governor said he'd be open to the feds shooting down a mystery drone if it's origin can't be determined.
"The Feds have that authority and I’d like to see them play a robust role. I wouldn’t be opposed to that. Let’s put it that way," said Murphy, who also noted there was no evidence of any threat and called the idea of an Iran mothership a "wild assertion."
Smith said a Coast Guard commanding officer briefed him on an incident over the weekend in which a dozen drones followed a motorized Coast Guard lifeboat “in close pursuit” near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County.
Coast Guard Lt. Luke Pinneo told The Associated Press Wednesday “that multiple low-altitude aircraft were observed in vicinity of one of our vessels near Island Beach State Park.”
The aircraft weren't perceived as an immediate threat and didn't disrupt operations, Pinneo said. The Coast Guard is assisting the FBI and state agencies in investigating.
In a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Smith called for military help dealing with the drones, noting that Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst has the capability "to identify and take down unauthorized unmanned aerial systems.”
However, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Wednesday that “our initial assessment here is that these are not drones or activities coming from a foreign entity or adversary.” White House National Security Advisor John Kirby said a lot of traditional aircraft in the night sky are being mislabeled as drones and are actually legal aircraft.
Many municipal lawmakers have called for more restrictions on who is entitled to fly the unmanned devices. At least one state lawmaker proposed a temporary ban on drone flights in the state.
But drone companies argue blanket bans on flying, even temporary ones, unfairly penalize those who use drones legally. Rick Smith, the owner of New Jersey company Drone Valley, which teaches drone technology to amateur pilots, said drones are generally allowed to fly over private property and all drones are supposed to have digital IDs so authorities can tell who is flying.
“This is something we’re taking deadly seriously. I don’t blame people for being frustrated," Murphy said earlier this week. A spokesman for the Democratic governor said he did not attend Wednesday's meeting.
Republican Assemblyman Erik Peterson, whose district includes parts of the state where the drones have been reported, said he also attended Wednesday's meeting at a state police facility in West Trenton. The session lasted for about 90 minutes.
Peterson said DHS officials were generous with their time, but appeared dismissive of some concerns, saying not all the sightings reported have been confirmed to involve drones.
"So who or what is behind the flying objects? Where are they coming from? What are they doing? “My understanding is they have no clue,” Peterson said.
A message seeking comment was left with the Department of Homeland Security.
Most of the drones have been spotted along coastal areas and some were recently reported flying over a large reservoir in Clinton. Sightings also have been reported in neighboring states.
James Edwards, of Succasunna, New Jersey, said he has seen a few drones flying over his neighborhood since last month.
“It raises concern mainly because there's so much that's unknown,” Edwards said Wednesday. “There are lots of people spouting off about various conspiracies that they believe are in play here, but that only adds fuel to the fire unnecessarily. We need to wait and see what is really happening here, not let fear of the unknown overtake us."
