But soon sightings were reported statewide, including near the Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, another Republican Jersey Shore-area congressman, has also called for the military to shoot down the drones.
Drone sightings have now been reported in New York, where a permit is required, and Mayor Eric Adams said the city was investigating and collaborating with New Jersey and federal officials.
Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drone or drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents.
Earlier that evening, an off-duty police officer in the same town noticed similar activity near a public safety complex, police said.
In recent weeks, a lot of enigmatic drones have been seen flying over the East Coast and parts of New Jersey, raising questions about who sent them and why.
governor of New Jersey. Phil Murphy wrote to Joe Biden, requesting clarification. After spending Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, Andy Kim, the newly elected senator from New Jersey, shared his experience on X.
Even though Murphy and law enforcement officials have emphasized that there is no indication that the drones pose a threat to public safety, numerous state and local lawmakers have demanded more stringent regulations regarding who is permitted to operate the unmanned aircraft.
The FBI is one of the agencies looking into the drones, and they have asked locals to share any images, videos, or other information they may have.
As early as November, dozens of witnesses said they saw them in the state.
They were initially seen flying along the picturesque Raritan River, which flows roughly 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of New York City and supplies water to the state’s largest aquifer, Round Valley Reservoir.
However, reports of sightings quickly spread throughout the state, including over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster and close to the Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility.
Recent sightings of the aircraft have also been reported near the coast.
The Republican U.S. S. . Rep. Chris Smith claimed that over the weekend, a dozen drones closely followed a Guard lifeboat in Ocean County, close to Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park, according to a Coast Guard commanding officer.
The Biden administration, which has come under fire from Trump for not confronting the issue more forcefully, is aware of the growing anxiety among some residents.
In a White House-organized call with reporters on Saturday, senior officials from the FBI, Pentagon, FAA, and other agencies aimed to reassure the public that the drones are not a threat to public safety or national security, nor are they the work of a hostile foreign actor.
Although the public’s concern is understandable, an FBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to White House ground rules added, “I think there has been a slight overreaction.”. “”.
Speaking for the Pentagon, Maj. General. On Thursday, Pat Ryder stated that the military’s initial conclusion that the drones are not foreign-origin remained the same following consultation with the National Security Council and the Department of Homeland Security.
In an effort to identify the person who launched the drones, a congressman from New Jersey has urged the Pentagon to approve the use of force to bring down one or more of them.
Smith stated at a news conference on Saturday that the objects might be dropped over the ocean or in an uninhabited area on land.
Smith questioned, “Why can’t we get to the bottom of it and bag at least one of these drones?”.
Rep. Another Republican congressman from the Jersey Shore, Jeff Van Drew, has also demanded that the military shoot down the drones.
Sheriff Shaun Golden of Monmouth County stated that individuals should refrain from shooting down drones on their own, as this would be against both state and federal law.
There have been reports of drone sightings in New York, where permits are needed. According to Mayor Eric Adams, the city is looking into the incident and working with federal and New Jersey authorities.
The runways at Stewart International Airport — about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of the city — were shut down for about one hour Friday night because of drone activity in the airspace, Gov. Kathy Hochul stated.
According to a statement she released, “this has gone too far.”.
The governor urged Congress to increase the FAA’s drone oversight and grant state and local law enforcement more investigative power.
“It is crucial that we extend these powers to New York State and our peers,” she stated. “The Biden administration must intervene by sending more federal law enforcement to New York and the surrounding area until state and local officials are given those authorities in order to protect our vital infrastructure and our citizens. “”.
According to the White House, which agrees with officials and drone experts, a review of the reported sightings reveals that many of them are actually manned aircraft being flown legally.
In a combined statement, the FBI and the federal Homeland Security Department also stated that they do not have any proof that the sightings are connected to foreign countries or represent a threat to public safety or national security. “”.
The Department of Homeland Security briefed Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia, who stated that the drones have been as large as 6 feet (1.08 meters) in diameter and occasionally fly with their lights off. She claimed that they seem to evade detection by conventional means like radio and helicopter, and that this is significantly larger than those usually flown by drone enthusiasts.
Officials claim they have no idea.
The sightings are being looked into by the FBI, Homeland Security, and state police. It is unclear to authorities whether the numerous sightings are of a single drone or if several planes are being flown in unison.
Online rumors have been rampant, with some people voicing worries that the drone or drones might be a part of a sinister foreign agent plot.
Officials emphasize that there is no proof to back up those worries, but Rep. On Saturday, Smith confirmed these rumors.
“The elusive maneuvering of these drones suggests a major military power sophistication that begs the question whether they have been deployed by violent dictatorships, perhaps China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia, to test our defense capabilities — or worse,” he said.
Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokesperson, stated on Wednesday that the planes are not U.S. A. military unmanned aerial vehicles.
Trump has stated that he thinks the government is more knowledgeable than it claims to be. “Now, inform the public. “If not, shoot them down!!!” he wrote on his social media page.
Sen. On Thursday, Connecticut’s Richard Blumenthal declared that the drones ought to be “shot down, if necessary.”. “”.
“If they are flying over airports or military bases, we should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and taking them out of the skies,” Blumenthal stated.
But experts caution against shooting at the sky.
Lebanon Township, New Jersey resident Trisha Bushey, 48, who lives close to Round Valley Reservoir, where many sightings have occurred, stated she doesn’t think the claim that the drones pose no threat to public safety is credible.
She questioned, “If you don’t know what it is, how can you say it’s not posing a threat?”. “I believe that’s the reason so many people are uncomfortable.”. “.”.
Although drone flying is permitted in the state for both commercial and recreational purposes, there are flight restrictions and local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations that must be followed.
An unmanned aircraft cannot take off or land in New York City without a permit.
FAA-certified operators are required.
Reports of sightings have also come from Virginia and other places.
According to two witnesses, they saw an airplane Thursday night close to Virginia Beach that was unlike any other they had ever seen.
“They watched as it slowly passed over an Army National Guard facility over the ocean,” John Knight told The Virginian-Pilot.
“It was definitely different,” Knight said, recording what he believes to be a small truck-sized drone.
He continued by saying, “It made no noise but flew like a helicopter.”.
According to spokesperson A, the Virginia National Guard had no planes in the region Thursday evening. a. Puryear “Cotton.”. The incident is being looked into, and its leadership is aware of it.
An additional military facility in the region is the Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex. Public affairs officer Katie Hewett said via email on Friday that NAS Oceana, the East Coast master jet base in Virginia Beach, is aware of recent sighting reports in the area and is working with federal and state agencies to ensure the safety of its operations and personnel.
Knight turned in the videos to the FBI tip line on Thursday night.
On Thursday night, ten to fifteen drones were seen hovering over a house in Harwich, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. A resident who spent more than an hour observing them told police they were intelligent.
Similar activity was observed by an off-duty police officer in the same town earlier that evening close to a public safety complex, according to police. The FBI and the Massachusetts State Police received the information.
In the United States, drones were also observed last month. K. The U. A. The Air Force reported that multiple small unmanned aircraft were spotted close to four American military installations in England.
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