A wave of unidentified drone sightings over New Jersey in recent times has kept the local officials and public alike immensely concerned. Unidentified drones flying over populated areas on erratic patterns have mayors and law enforcement demanding federal answers. The following article represents the most current statements from the FBI and Homeland Security regarding these unidentified flying machines.
Sightings of the mystery drones
By mid-November 2024, it had become an incident that went out of hand when numerous sightings over New Jersey and elsewhere were documented. On December 8, 2024, the situation literally got to a boiling point when one police officer claimed to have seen around 50 drones off the New Jersey coast. According to him, the “car-sized” drones moved in weird formations before closing in on land. Sheriff Michael Mastronardy called for clarity, saying the public needs some logical explanation to appease their growing anxiety over the situation.
Local officials, including Pequannock Township Mayor Ryan Herd and Washington Township Mayor Matthew Murello, voiced frustration with the lack of information emanating from federal agencies. Murello conceded that residents should be concerned, noting that drones have hostile applications in surveillance or even carrying payloads.
Federal response and assurances
The FBI and DHS have attempted to assuage panicked residents with joint statements, saying at this point, there is no evidence to connect these sightings with national security or foreign elements. Federal authorities recently gave an update that they received over 5,000 tips about drone activity and generated about 100 investigative leads.
John Kirby, the spokesman for national security communications, said most sightings could be “attributed to the presence of recreational or commercial drones conducting lawful activities” or misidentification of manned aircraft. That does little to reassure local officials like Murello, who highlighted contradictions in official statements over the type of drones being sighted.
Local officials seek more answers
The ambiguity from federal authorities has forced the action of local leaders. Mayors of a number of New Jersey towns have written collectively to seek more information from Governor Phil Murphy about the drones and who operates them. During one recent briefing with state police, mayors were informed that federal agencies had no idea who was controlling the drones or where they came from. That revelation only served to heighten frustration among local leaders.
Murello further questioned the federal claims that no threat has been posed by these drones. He added that some of the drones have been seen flying w/o radio frequencies or transponders, both legal requirements for flying drones at night. That makes one wonder who is operating these crafts and for what purpose.
The larger ramifications
Continuous sightings of drones have therefore raised debates over airspace security and how to handle unmanned aerial vehicles. The call for regulation in the operation of the drones continues to rise, especially as concerns grow over their potential threat to critical infrastructures like military installations and airports.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling on better drone-detection technology installed throughout New York and New Jersey, adding that while technology to precisely track the drones exists, it’s now about local and federal authorities’ coordination in the interest of public safety.
In fact, some officials have said that if law enforcement were to ID just one of these drones, that would provide the critical insight they need to understand purpose and origin. “We bring one down; we figure out what’s going on,” Murello said.
Read more: Trump is named Time’s Person of the Year for 2024: what is the year-by-year personality history?
Read more: N-550 Form: what is it, instructions, how to fill it out, when to use and how long does it take to get a Certificate…
