As drone sightings increase along the East Coast, public officials insist the planes in question are in fact flying legally and retired port officials , sparked a flurry of panicked calls for an investigation Friday from residents and state lawmakers. Aviation experts told FOX News Digital that concerns are overblown.
Drone complaints began pouring in in New Jersey last month, with witnesses and residents first reporting sightings of drones in coastal areas such as off the coast of Cape May, a scenic town just outside Atlantic City.
Lawmakers in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Maryland have recently reported new drone sightings in their home states, with some witnesses saying the aircraft in question was “about the size of a car.” ” or were seen flying over sensitive infrastructure or in restricted airspace.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) told reporters Friday that he has written to President Biden to share his concerns about new reports of sightings of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in New Jersey airspace. He called for more federal resources to be devoted to investigating the incident. problem.
“It has become clear that more resources are needed to fully understand what is behind this activity,” Murphy wrote in the letter.
Drone mystery: New Jersey homeowners threaten to take matters into their own hands if government doesn't act
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
Other lawmakers in the state went further, calling on the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to join the investigation into the drones, and one Garden State lawmaker called on them to “shoot down” the drones if necessary. .
“We are literally being invaded by drones,” Pequannock Mayor Ryan Harbwe told reporters Wednesday night after a meeting at New Jersey City Hall.
“I have no idea who is doing this or where it's coming from.”
“These unmanned aircraft, many of which are as large as cars, disrupt air traffic and, more alarmingly, could be used for malicious purposes,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Friday. They issued a statement citing “concerns about sexuality.” This is because it threatens national security. ”
These comments have added to the collective sense of panic, which many law enforcement officials say is unfounded and unnecessary.
“At this time, we do not believe that reported drone sightings pose a threat to national security or public safety or that they are linked to foreign “There is no evidence of a link,” he said, seeking to allay concerns. ”
Others in the law enforcement community echoed this sentiment. Lt. John Ryan, a retired Port Authority police detective, said in an interview on FOX News Digital on Friday that the increased activity is likely due to two factors.
Homeowners threaten to take matters into their own hands if government doesn't act
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) appears next to a drone photo reported in Connecticut. Blumenthal is one of the members of Congress who has pushed for action on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
First, he said, drones are a rapidly evolving technology that has seen a boom in both recreational and commercial use in the United States over the past decade. Federal data on drone registration reflects this sharp increase in use, most if not all of which is legal.
Federal data on drone registration reflects this sharp increase in usage. As of October of this year, there are more than 790,000 drones registered with the Federal Aviation Association (FAA), and nearly 400,000 commercial drones.
This is a “scale indication” of the number of legal drones in the U.S., said the veteran law enforcement officer, who has an extensive law enforcement career including a 10-year stint as emergency special operations commander at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Ryan said. , then became chief executive of the Port Authority, a role that includes oversight of all transportation facilities, including Kennedy, LaGuardia, and all other airports and ports in the area.
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A map showing drone sightings around New Jersey.
The second mistake, Ryan said, is that the person in question is seeking help from the wrong authorities.
“The mistake people are making is going to the wrong institutions and asking these questions,” he added.
The FAA is the federal agency tasked with registering drones and other U.S.-made aircraft. It is also tasked with monitoring recreational and commercial drone use in the United States.
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“In New Jersey, they're questioning the FBI, they're questioning the Department of Homeland Security, they're questioning everyone except the people they're supposed to be questioning,” Ryan said.
The Pentagon echoed this view, noting that initial assessments showed the drone was not shot down because it was not from another country and was not considered a threat to national security.
Kirby echoed that sentiment Thursday. Asked if the U.S. would consider banning the use of drones in U.S. airspace, he told reporters: “I don't know if we're at the stage to consider that at this point” as a policy option.
