Reuters, Washington, Dec. 12 Despite worries expressed by senators, the White House, FBI, and Homeland Security said Thursday they had no proof that drone sightings recorded in New Jersey constituted a threat to national security or public safety. “It seems that many of the reported sightings are manned aircraft, operating lawfully,” the FBI and DHS said in a joint statement. No drone sightings in any restricted airspace have been reported or verified.
At a news briefing, White House spokeswoman John Kirby stated that federal investigators were working with state and local law enforcement in New Jersey to look into the reports.
According to him, the majority of the sightings have been of legally functioning aircraft.
“While there is no known malicious activity occurring, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight a gap in authority.”
Kirby stated. Kirby reiterated the White House’s requests to Congress to enact legislation that would increase the authorities’ capacity to detect and stop drones that pose a threat to strategic infrastructure, such as airports.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, on November 18, it started to receive complaints of drone activity in the vicinity of Morris County, New Jersey.
According to the Pentagon, preliminary analysis revealed the drones were not foreign-sourced. It claimed that because they posed no threat to military installations, the U.S. military had not shot them down. Kirby responded,
“I don’t know that we’re at a stage right now where we’re considering that sort of a policy option,”
when asked if President Joe Biden’s government was thinking about outlawing drone usage in American airspace.
The drones, according to him, are “SUV-sized” and can reach speeds of up to 60 or 70 miles per hour. Perry remarked,
“I don’t understand how anyone can just sit there and say that there isn’t an immediate threat.”
“I don’t think the federal government has taken it seriously to date,”
said Perry.
At a meeting on Wednesday, Perry and other local authorities were informed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the New Jersey State Police that the Coast Guard is scouring the state’s shoreline for any kind of vessel that might be used as a platform for the drones. The Coast Guard has determined that there is “no evidence of any foreign-based involvement from coastal vessels,” Kirby said on Thursday. US senators from New Jersey and New York wrote to the FBI, DHS, and Federal Aviation Administration chiefs on Wednesday, requesting an update on the agencies’ efforts to locate and respond to the sightings. Senators Andy Kim, Cory Booker, Chuck Schumer, and Kirsten Gillibrand wrote a letter expressing “urgent concern” over the reported sightings and requesting a briefing “as soon as possible.”
Frustrated, a number of mayors from throughout the state left the New Jersey State Police Headquarters in Ewing. They claimed that after being briefed on the drone sightings, they received almost no fresh information. Jim Maley, the mayor of Collingswood, even left early for home.
“They indicated they wouldn’t be telling us anything new, so I departed after just ten minutes. Maley stated, “They have no idea where they are from, where they land, who they are, or why they are there.”
Evesham Township Police initially reported the sightings last week, and they later spread to South Jersey. More sightings of the massive drones floating in the night sky have been reported in the suburbs of Philadelphia after they were originally spotted over North and Central Jersey in recent weeks.
The probe is being led by the FBI. According to the FBI, in part,
“The FBI is aware of reported sightings of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) commonly referred to as drones, observed flying in multiple locations over the past several weeks.”
According to the statement, the FBI works with federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Vehicles spotted close to “critical infrastructure and other sensitive sites” can be reported to the FBI online at tips.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Gary Catrambone, the mayor of Delran, stated,
“They’re keeping track of how long they’re flying, but they don’t have a way of tracking.”
Eugene Fuzy, the mayor of Bordentown Township, added that he is dependent on the federal government. “I hope the federal government can take some action. “It won’t be the state,” Fuzy declared. 911 lines have been overloaded with calls, Fuzy continued. Instead of calling 1-866-4-SAFENJ (866-472-3365), he encouraged locals to report sightings and concerns. All of this is happening at the same time as some lawmakers are demanding that flights over New Jersey airspace be restricted. In a letter to the White House, Rep. Jeff Van Drew asserts that the drones originate from an Iranian “mothership.”
