Everything we know about unidentified drones flying over New Jersey, Eastern States

Topline

For several weeks, citizens across New Jersey — as well as New York and Pennsylvania — have reported seeing clusters of drone-like objects flying low in the sky at night, and state officials have turned to the FBI for answers as information remains scarce There are sightings about further developments.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 19: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks before signing an executive agreement … (+) Ordering a new clemency program that will pardon thousands. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Important facts

New Jersey police announced Nov. 19 that officers had observed “drone activity” over Morris County in the northwestern part of the state the previous night and said they were investigating the activity; They noted that rumors were “spreading on social media” and said there was “no known threat to public safety.”

In the weeks since the first sightings, drones have been spotted in eight New Jersey counties and social media posts have spread. One described the drones as “big and loud,” while many users posted videos showing the illuminated objects floating in the sky at night.

A New Jersey resident told NJ.com he saw the drones every night, and a New Jersey police chief described the drones in a news conference as the size of a car and larger than standard drones available to amateur drone flyers.

In December, reports emerged of unidentified drone sightings over Staten Island, New York. A local resident told NBC he observed dozens of drones with lights, while another sighting occurred in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Sightings have occurred “every night for the past two weeks, beginning shortly after sunset and continuing well into the early morning hours” and have been reported “over critical infrastructure such as water reservoirs, power lines, train stations, police departments and military installations,” Joseph Orlando, a police chief in Florham Park, New Jersey, said in a statement on Dec. 4; Nicole Malliotakis, R-NY, said on Dec. 10 that the drones were spotted near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

The Federal Aviation Administration responded in early December by imposing and later extending “temporary flight restrictions” on drone use over the Picatinny Arsenal military base and Bedminster, home to the president-elect’s Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.

On December 3, the Federal Bureau of Investigation joined several police investigations in New Jersey and announced a public request for further information on the observed “assembly of what appeared to be drones and a possible fixed-wing aircraft.”

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.”

What have officials said about the drones?

Picatinny Arsenal said in a statement to NJ Advance Media on Nov. 24 that the drones had nothing to do with the military and that it was contributing to 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.

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 allowed 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.

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