Multiple sightings of aerial objects after sunset have sparked concern along the U.S. east coast and widespread outrage at the federal government’s response.
Authorities in New Jersey have been inundated with reports since last month drones scattered across the night sky, sometimes in groups and without clear purpose, above the most populous state in the country.
There have also been reported sightings in Maryland and Virginia, including the Washington suburbs.
On Saturday, officials from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, White House and Pentagon said in a briefing that there was no evidence of large-scale drone activity. large or toxic tissue. They dismissed many sightings of manned aircraft e.g.
“We do not have any current evidence that there is a threat to public safety,” a DHS official said.
The FBI said it received about 5,000 tips but these generated fewer than 100 leads worthy of further investigation.
“Reported visible densities are consistent with the reach pattern of [the region’s] the airports are very busy” – New York’s LaGuardia and JFK airports, and Newark Liberty International Airport, an FBI official said.
Although the FBI said it was working with local authorities, state officials were not completely satisfied with the federal government’s response.
“I remain deeply concerned that Virginia has consistently sought information from federal partners and that to date, the information shared with the Commonwealth has been inadequate,” said Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. .
James Dodd, mayor of Dover, New Jersey, previously described the official response as “disturbing”.
“We can fire a missile 5,000 miles away, but we can’t determine where these drones come from?” he said.
Dover is near Picatinny Arsenal, a US military facility. The Federal Aviation Administration imposed temporary flight restrictions on drone flights over the site last month, citing “exceptional security reasons.” Similar restrictions were announced this month for the area surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
No such restrictions were imposed elsewhere in the state, even as drone sightings flooded in.
Dodd was among the New Jersey mayors invited to attend a briefing held by New Jersey state police this week. He said he felt frustrated by what he saw as scant information about a serious problem.
He posted on his town’s website a Q&A document he received from DHS. “At this time, it is unclear who is operating the drone,” document speak.
Reports of drones have spread across the eastern seaboard. Larry Hogan, the former governor of Maryland, wrote on social media that he witnessed “what appeared to be dozens of large drones in the sky” above his home for about 45 minutes on Thursday night. Year.
“Like many people who have observed these drones, I do not know whether the increased activity in our skies is a threat to public safety or national security or not. But the public is increasingly concerned and frustrated with the federal government’s complete lack of transparency and dismissive attitude,” Hogan wrote. He posted video of what he said was a plane.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday that the state is investigating drone sightings in her state, cooperating with federal authorities.
Mary-Lou Smulders, director of marketing for Dedrone, a company that helps public safety agencies detect drones, said federal regulations place few limits on the machines’ use. civil drones. Violations include flying too close to airports and sensitive locations such as nuclear power plants and altitudes exceeding 400ft.
Even then, the rules are often flouted. Dedrone’s sensors have recorded more than 1.1 million violations this year.
Smulders said state and local police are not authorized to intercept drones. Those powers are only given to four federal agencies under certain circumstances, making it difficult to crack down on violators.
New Jersey, located between New York City and Philadelphia, has some of the busiest airspace in North America.
This week, New Jersey Republican congressman Jeff Van Drew suggested that the flights would take off from an “Iranian drone mother ship” in the Atlantic Ocean.
Trump weighed in on Friday, post on his social media platform that the government should be more ready or shoot down the plane.
US officials said they did not assess that the drone activity was linked to any foreign actor or adversary. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Wednesday that no Iranian ships launched drones toward the United States.
Additional reporting by Felicia Schwartz in Washington
