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 over who sent them and why.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey’s new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X.
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.
The FBI is among several agencies investigating and has asked residents to share videos, photos and other information they may have about the drones.
Dozens of witnesses have reported seeing drones in New Jersey starting in November.
At first, the drones were spotted flying along the scenic Raritan River, a waterway that feeds the Round Valley Reservoir, the state’s largest aquifer, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of New York City.
But soon sightings were reported statewide, including near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. 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.
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said a Coast Guard commanding officer told him a dozen drones closely followed a Coast Guard lifeboat near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County over the weekend.
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 collaborating with New Jersey and federal officials.
The runways at Stewart International Airport – about 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of New York City — were shut down for about one hour Friday night because of drone activity in the airspace, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
“This has gone too far,” she said in a statement.
The governor called on 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 activity.
“Extending these powers to New York State and our peers is essential,” she said. “Until those powers are granted to state and local officials, the Biden administration must step in by directing additional federal law enforcement to New York and the surrounding region to ensure the safety of our critical infrastructure and our people.”
The White House has said that a review of the reported sightings shows that many of them are actually manned aircraft being flown lawfully, echoing the opinion of officials and drone experts.
The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.”
Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia, who was briefed by the Department of Homeland Security, said the reported drones have been up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and sometimes travel with their lights switched off. This is much larger than those typically flown by drone hobbyists and she said they appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio.
Authorities say they do not know who is behind the drones.
The FBI, Homeland Security and state police are investigating the sightings. 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.
Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drone or drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents. Officials stress that ongoing state and federal investigations have found no evidence to support those fears.
Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, Smith and U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones, citing safety concerns.
The Pentagon insists the drones do not represent a threat from abroad.
Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said 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 Wednesday that the aircraft are not U.S. military drones.
President-elect Donald Trump has posted that he believes the government knows more than it’s saying. “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” he posted on his social media site.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut on Thursday said the drowns should be “shot down, if necessary,” even as it remains unclear who owns the unmanned aircraft.
“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,” Blumenthal said.
Experts, however, warn not to shoot at anything in the sky.
Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings and said she doesn’t believe the assertion that the drones aren’t a risk to public safety.
“How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.”
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.
In New York City, a permit is required to take off or land an unmanned aircraft.
Operators must be FAA certified.
Sightings also have been reported in Virginia and elsewhere.
Two people said they spotted an aircraft Thursday night near Virginia Beach that was unlike any other they’ve seen.
The flying object was over the ocean and they watched as it slowly moved over a Virginia Army National Guard facility, John Knight told The Virginian-Pilot.
“It was definitely different,” said Knight, who took videos of what he thinks was a drone the size of a small truck.
“It flew like a helicopter but made no noise,” he added.
The Virginia National Guard did not have any aircraft operating in the facility’s area Thursday night, according to spokesperson A.A. “Cotton” Puryear. Its leadership is aware of the incident and it’s under investigation, Puryear said.
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 drone sightings in the area and is coordinating with federal and state agencies to ensure the safety of its personnel and operations, Katie Hewett, public affairs officer, said in an email Friday.
Knight submitted the videos Thursday night to the FBI tip line.
Drones were also spotted last month in the U.K. The U.S. Air Force said several small unmanned aircraft were detected near four military bases in England that are used by American forces.
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Miller reported from Oklahoma City. Bruce Schreiner contributed from Shelbyville, Kentucky.
