Mystery Drone Sightings Continue to Occur in New Jersey. Here’s what we know (and what we don’t know)

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A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over parts of New Jersey and the East Coast in recent weeks, sparking speculation and concern about who sent them and why.

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has written to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey’s new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night hunting a drone in the northern New Jersey countryside, and posted about it on X.

Murphy and law enforcement officials have emphasized that drones pose a threat to public safety, but many state and local lawmakers have called for stricter rules on who can fly a drone.

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The FBI is among several agencies investigating and has asked citizens to share videos, photos and other information they may have about drones.

What is the deal with drones in New Jersey?

Dozens of witnesses have reported seeing drones in New Jersey since November.

Initially, the drones were seen flying near the Raritan River, a waterway that feeds the Round Valley Reservoir, the largest aquifer in the state, about 50 kilometers (80 miles) west of New York City.

But sightings were soon reported across the country, including near the Picatinny Arsenal, a US military research and manufacturing facility, and President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.

This plane was also recently seen in coastal areas.

U.S. Army spokesman Chris Smith said a Coast Guard officer told him that dozens of drones closely followed a Coast Guard boat near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County over the weekend.

Drones have been spotted in New York City

Drone sightings have now been reported in New York City, where a permit is required, and Mayor Eric Adams says the city is investigating and working with New Jersey and state officials.

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The runways at Stewart International Airport – about 96 miles north of New York City – were closed for about an hour Friday night due to drone activity at the airport, said Gov. Kathy Hochul from New York.

“This has gone too far,” he said in a statement.

The governor has asked Congress to pass legislation to strengthen the FAA’s oversight of drones and give more authority to state and local law enforcement agencies to investigate the operation.

“Extending this power to New York State and our peers is important,” she said. “Until that power is given to state and local officials, the Biden administration must step in by directing additional legislation in New York and surrounding states to ensure the safety of our critical infrastructure and our people.”

Are these drones dangerous?

The White House said a review of the reported sightings showed that most of them were in fact manned aircraft flying legally, echoing the opinion of officials and drone experts.

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI also said in a joint statement that they have no evidence that the sightings pose a “national security or public safety threat or are related to other countries.”

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Ms. Dawn Fantasia, an Assemblywoman, who was briefed by the Department of Homeland Security, said the drones were reported to be up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and sometimes travel with their lights off. This is much larger than those often flown by drone enthusiasts and he said they seem to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio.

Who sent the drones?

Authorities say they do not know who is behind the planes.

The FBI, Homeland Security and state police are investigating the sighting. Authorities say they don’t know if it’s one plane that hasn’t been seen multiple times or if there are multiple planes being flown in a concerted effort.

Speculation abounds online, with some expressing concern that the drone or drones could be part of a sinister plot by a foreign agent. Officials insist that an ongoing federal and state investigation has found no evidence to support those fears.

Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, Smith and US Rep. Jeff Van Drew, asked the military to shoot down the drones, citing security concerns.

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The Pentagon insists that drones do not represent a threat from abroad.

Pentagon spokesman Maj. General Pat Ryder said Thursday that the military’s initial assessment after consultation with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Council — that drones are not foreign — has not changed.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said on Wednesday that the plane was not a US military aircraft.

What are officials saying about mysterious drone sightings?

President-elect Donald Trump has written that he believes the government knows more than it says it does. “Notify the public, now. Besides, shoot them!!!” he wrote on his social media.

US Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Thursday that the drones should be “shot down, if necessary,” since it was not clear who owned the drone.

“We should be doing an emergency search and getting them out of the sky, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” Blumenthal said.

However, experts warn not to shoot anything in the sky.

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Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near the Round Valley Reservoir where many people have been seen and said she does not believe that drones are not a threat to public safety.

“How can you say it’s not a threat if you don’t know what it is?” he said. “I think that’s why a lot of people are uncomfortable.”

Are drones allowed in New Jersey?

Flying drones for recreational and commercial use is legal in New Jersey, but subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration laws and flight restrictions.

In New York City, a permit is required to take off or land a drone.

Operators must have FAA certification.

Have drones been seen elsewhere?

Sightings have also been reported in Virginia and elsewhere.

Two people said they saw a plane Thursday night near Virginia Beach unlike any they’ve ever seen.

The flying object was over the ocean and they watched as it slowly drifted over the Virginia Army National Guard base, John Knight told The Virginian-Pilot.

“It was definitely different,” said Knight, who took videos of what he thought was a plane about the size of a pickup truck.

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“It flew like a helicopter but it didn’t make any noise,” he added.

The Virginia National Guard did not have an aircraft operating at the base Thursday night, according to spokesman AA “Cotton” Puryear. Its leadership is aware of the incident and it is still being investigated, said Puryear.

Another military installation in the area is the Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex. NAS Oceana, a major East Coast air base in Virginia Beach, is aware of recent reports of drone sightings in the area and is contacting federal and state agencies to ensure personnel safety and operations, said Katie Hewett, public affairs officer. in an email on Friday.

Knight posted the videos Thursday night to the FBI’s tip line.

Drones were spotted again last month in the UK The US Air Force said several small unmanned aircraft were found near four military bases in England used by the US military.

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Miller reported from Oklahoma City. Bruce Schreiner contributed from Shelbyville, Kentucky.

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