Topline

For weeks, citizens across New Jersey — as well as New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut — have reported seeing groups of drone-like objects flying low in the sky at night, but the information remains scarce, even as state officials now say they have them They discovered the drones firsthand, received mixed information from federal authorities and pressed the FBI for answers.

Important facts

What exactly do we know about the drones?

Almost nothing, New Jersey Rep. Dawn Fantasia said Wednesday. Fantasia’s post was a lengthy recap of a legislative meeting with the Department of Homeland Security about the mysterious sightings. She described the government’s investigative strategy, which includes a coordinated effort by the FBI with the State Police, the Office of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard. She described the dozens of nighttime sightings as “coordinated” operations by drones “up to 6 (feet) in diameter” that flew for six to seven hours – distances of 15 miles – with no connection to “hobbyists” or the Department of Homeland Security , which “appear to evade detection by conventional methods (e.g. helicopters, radio frequencies).” They are also reportedly not related to military operations, Picatinny Arsenal said in a statement on November 24 NJ Advance Media.

Where were the drones spotted?

Drones have been spotted in at least 12 New Jersey counties, according to NJ.com. There were also reports of unidentified drone sightings over Staten Island in New York, while there were additional sightings in Philadelphia and Fairfield, Connecticut. Drones have been spotted near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said. On Friday, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan released a video of alleged “large drones” in Davidsonville, Maryland. Elena Russo, a spokeswoman for Maryland State Police, declined to provide further information. Officials at Naval Weapons Station Earle told ABC News on Friday that there had been “multiple” reports of the unidentified drones over the New Jersey naval base, but did not say exactly when or how many there were. The head of Florham Park, Orlando, said in the Dec. 4 statement that the drones were “reported over critical infrastructure such as water reservoirs, power transmission lines, train stations, police departments and military installations.”

Are the drones considered a national security threat?

The FBI and DHS issued a statement Thursday saying the investigation “currently has no evidence” of “malicious activity” in New Jersey or a “threat to national or public safety.” The statement added that they had not identified a “foreign connection” for the drones and that the investigation would continue. It also said many of the drone sightings were “cases of mistaken identity,” confusing drones with legitimately identified aircraft. John Kirby, the White House national security communications adviser, reiterated the FBI’s statement at a briefing Thursday, saying officials “could not confirm any of the reported visual sightings.”

Did the drones come from an Iranian ship?

No, according to the Pentagon. On Wednesday, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said in an interview with Fox News, “Iran probably launched a mothership that contains these drones about a month ago.” He explained that the “mothership” is located near the East coast of the country. In response, Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, denied the claim. “There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States and there is no so-called mother ship launching drones towards the United States,” Singh told reporters at Wednesday’s press conference.

What have officials said about the investigation?

More than 20 mayors across New Jersey signed a letter Dec. 9 requesting “transparency” about the investigation. Gov. Murphy said Monday while signing a bill: “It’s really frustrating that we don’t have more answers about where they’re coming from and why they’re doing what they’re doing.” He added that the drones are “sophisticated” and “extinguish” as soon as someone sees them and called for greater federal involvement. Lawmakers held a hearing Tuesday to discuss the drones. Several representatives expressed frustration that they received no answers from the FBI investigation or insight into the investigation. At the hearing, Rep. Chris Smith, R-NJ, argued for a broader lawsuit, describing it as “serious.” Jon Bramnick, R-NJ, called for the imposition of a “limited state of emergency.” Robert Wheeler, the FBI deputy director who led the investigation, said at the hearing that the agency was “actively investigating” the drones and that it was “concerning” that there were no clear answers yet. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters Thursday that these unidentified drones should be shot down “if necessary.” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, have also issued statements in recent days demanding more information about the reports. On Friday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul acknowledged that “New Yorkers have spotted drones in the air this week” and that the state is conducting an investigation with “federal partners.”

tangent

Drones were also spotted flying over four U.S. air bases in the United Kingdom, according to a Nov. 27 New York Times report. An Air Force statement said the drones had not affected the bases, and a Defense Department official said officials “will continue to address this.”

Big number

3,000. That’s how many sightings were reported to an FBI tip line set up for drone sightings. Governor Murphy said there were 49 drone sightings in New Jersey on Sunday alone, although those sightings may have been the same drone reported more than once.

Important background

Drones are permitted in New Jersey for personal use and commercial projects. The state requires drone pilots to be certified and follows federal guidelines for acceptable use of drones. FAA rules also require drones to remain within line of sight of the aviator. Commercially available drones typically have short battery life and can often last in the air for only 10 minutes to about an hour. If an unknown pilot does not follow these rules, it may be difficult to shoot down the drone. An example of this occurred in 2023, when unidentified aircraft were spotted and examined by the US Air Force at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia in 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported. Laws surrounding airspace can be complicated. In general, it is illegal for citizens to shoot down someone else’s drone, NJ.com reported, citing an expert at the Federal Aviation Administration. Under federal law, the military can shoot down drones from military bases only if the drones pose a clear threat and espionage is not involved, the Journal reported. The Journal also reported that technical solutions to shooting down the Virginia drones, such as signal jamming or destructive technology, would have been risky for citizens and aircraft. Following these drone appearances, the Pentagon released a secret new approach to dealing with these problems, Fox News reported.