The FBI and three other government agencies stated in a joint statement Monday night that the many drone sightings by members of the public in East Coast states are not unusual and do not represent a threat to public safety or national security.
Commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones, along with some crewed fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars, were among the items identified from more than 5,000 tips authorities received in recent weeks, according to the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Defense Department, and the FBI. According to the agencies, some 100 recommendations needed more examination.
“We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast,” the agencies stated in a joint statement. Nevertheless, we acknowledge that many communities are concerned. We still provide cutting-edge detection technologies and law enforcement support to state and municipal agencies.
Drone sightings above military installations, according to the statement, “are not new.”
According to the statement, local commanders are “actively engaged to ensure there are appropriate detection and mitigation measures in place.” The Pentagon “takes unauthorized access over its airspace seriously and coordinates closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities, as appropriate.”
Concerned locals have been reporting drones in New Jersey and other East Coast locations since at least mid-November.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security declared last week that they had “no evidence” at the time that the drone sightings in New Jersey constituted a danger, and Monday’s announcement is a continuation of that assertion.
More than a million drones are legally registered with the FAA, according to the joint statement released Monday night.
“With the technology landscape evolving, we expect that number to increase over time,” it continued.
In the midst of conspiracy theories and growing public alarm over the sightings, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and some members of Congress have called on federal officials to provide more information.
President-elect Donald Trump said he will postpone a visit to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, and encouraged officials to disclose more details regarding the drone sighting reports during a press conference on Monday in Florida.
“There’s something odd happening,” he said. They don’t want to tell folks for some reason.
According to two people familiar with the situation, a briefing on the recent sightings is planned for Tuesday afternoon before the House Intelligence Committee. At 2:00 PM ET, the briefing will be given by representatives of the FBI, CIA, and the office of the national intelligence director.
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