What we know about the mysterious drones flying over New Jersey
ITV News Olivia Guthrie on the numerous drones spotted flying above New Jersey that have sparked a heated row over their purpose
By James Hockaday, deputy content editor
For weeks now, locals in a state in the US have been reporting mysterious drones flying over their neighbourhoods, and investigators still haven't figured out who sent them, or why.
Federal agencies were facing intense pressure on Friday to give the public more details about the unexplained sightings over New Jersey, while some politicians are calling for the drones to be shot down.
With a lack of answers, speculation has mounted online, with some expressing concerns that the drones, or drone, could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents, or even an alien arrival, but officials have said there is nothing to support these theories.
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety, but many state and municipal lawmakers have nonetheless called for stricter rules about who can fly the unmanned aircraft.
Here's what we know so far.
What has been seen in New Jersey?
Since November, dozens of witnesses have reported seeing drones flying over New Jersey.
At first, they were spotted flying along the scenic Raritan River, a waterway that feeds the Round Valley Reservoir, the state's largest aquifer, about 50 miles west of New York City.
But soon, sightings were reported statewide, including near the Picatinny Arsenal, a US military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.
The aircraft have also recently been spotted in coastal areas, with Representative for New Jersey Chris Smith saying a Coast Guard commanding officer told him a dozen drones closely followed one of their lifeboats near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County over the weekend.
Staten Island Borough president Vito Fossella said the drones, often seen flying at night, have been spotted hovering over critical infrastructures including Port Liberty New York near the Goethals Bridge, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and Fort Wadsworth, one of the oldest military installations in the country.
Representatives of the federal agencies investigating the drones, who have briefed local officials behind closed doors, said the drones sometimes appear to fly in a coordinated pattern and can sometimes be in flight for up to six hours, according to Mayor Mike Ghassali of Montvale, New Jersey.
New Jersey Senator Andy Kim posted videos to his X account showing what appeared to be a cluster of drones over the Round Valley Reservoir Thursday night.
“This has gone on for weeks,” he wrote, “It’s hard to understand how with the technology we have, we aren’t able to track these devices to determine origin and this makes me much more concerned about our capabilities more broadly when it comes to drone detection and counter measures.”
Are these drones dangerous?
Governor Murphy said the aircraft do not pose a threat, but has not provided any details to support this.
Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia, who was briefed by the Department of Homeland Security, said the reported drones have been up to six feet in diameter and sometimes travel with their lights switched off.
If true, these drones would be much larger than those typically flown by drone hobbyists. Fantasia said they appear to avoid detection by helicopter and radio.
Although the drones often display flashing lights, they frequently turn off the lights and evade police helicopters when approached, Mayor Michael Melham of Belleville Township said in a Facebook video update on Wednesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued temporary flight restrictions over the Picatinny Arsenal, and over Trump’s golf course after drones were spotted in those areas.
“Until you know the origin and what these drones’ intent is, how can you tell me there’s no imminent threat?” Mayor Tony Perry of Middletown, New Jersey, told CNN on Thursday.
Officials and experts say some witnesses may actually be seeing planes or helicopters rather than drones, or perhaps are confused about the size of the devices they're seeing.
“There are certainly big drones, such as agricultural drones, but typically they are not the type you see flying around in urban or suburban spaces,” John Duesler, president of the Pennsylvania Drone Association said.
“I wonder a little bit if it’s sort of a type of fish story, as in ‘I caught a fish this big!’ type of a thing,” he added.
“At night, it’s hard to see how big the drones are, especially because they can be either closer or further away from you. To get that perspective of how big they are is really difficult.”
Federal officials have sought to calm the concerns about the drone sightings, but without giving further details about what they might be.
“We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus,” White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby told a press briefing on Thursday, adding that many of “the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully”.
Who sent the drones?
The FBI, Homeland Security and state police are investigating the sightings and are yet to establish who is behind the drones.
Authorities say they don’t know if it is one drone that has been spotted many times or if there are multiple aircraft being flown in a coordinated effort.
Officials have said the ongoing state and federal investigations have found no evidence to support fears of a nefarious plot by foreign agents.
Nonetheless, two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, Smith and Representative Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones, citing safety concerns.
On Thursday, as concerns about the drones spread across Capitol Hill, Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said: “We should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases.”
Demanding more answers from officials on Friday, New Jersey Representative Josh Gottheimer said: “The bottom line is this: They’re not providing enough information to the public, and the public is concerned... Believe me, I’m hearing from my constituents about this all the time, and I think it’s time for them to immediately get out there and brief.”
New York Representative Nicole Malliotakis called the situation “outrageous,” saying there are “drones and unmanned aerial systems flying above us and our government is not telling us who’s operating them and for what purpose?”.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Friday seeking answers and urging his administration, along with the FAA and FBI, to provide clarity on the matter.
“The fact that this issue has persisted for weeks without clear answers is completely unacceptable — not just to the people of Rockland County, but to communities across the nation,” Day said in the letter. “It’s time for the Federal government to step up, take responsibility, and provide the answers we all deserve.”
The Pentagon insists the drones do not represent a threat from abroad.
Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder said on Thursday that the military’s initial assessment after consulting with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Council — that the drones are not of foreign origin — remains unchanged.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said on Wednesday that the aircraft are not US military drones.
Are drones allowed in New Jersey?
The flying of drones for recreational and commercial use is legal in New Jersey, but it is subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions Operators must be FAA certified.
Have drones been spotted anywhere else?
Sightings also have been reported in neighbouring New York and Pennsylvania.
Drones were also spotted last month in the UK, with several small unmanned aircraft detected near four military bases in Suffolk, Norfolk and Gloucestershire used by the US Air Force.
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