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The mystery remains in the air after almost a month of drone sightings over New Jersey, in the United States, generating fear among residents and a heated debate about what the flying objects are – and whether they are in fact drones.
What is known about mysterious drones flying over New Jersey. Photo: Reproduction
American officials were unable to provide definitive answers, saying only that the objects were not considered a danger to the public or national security.
On Thursday, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that available footage suggested that many of the reported drone sightings were, in fact, manned aircraft.
But some lawmakers criticized the government’s handling of the situation and the lack of information available to the public.
Check out what is known so far about the case.
Where have drones been seen?
Dozens of drone sightings have been reported over New Jersey since Nov. 18, according to local authorities.
The drones were initially spotted near the Raritan River, a waterway that feeds the Round Valley Reservoir – the largest in New Jersey, the Associated Press news agency reported.
The sightings soon spread to other parts of the stateincluding the New Jersey coast.
Some of the flights were spotted near Picatinny Arsenal – a sensitive military research facility – as well as near President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in the town of Bedminster, New Jersey.
In neighboring New York City, several drones were reported flying over the Bronx on December 12, a police officer told CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. partner broadcaster.
Officers responding to the incident saw the drones flying, but they disappeared soon after.
Drones have also been reported in other parts of the state, according to New York State Police.
Connecticut police also confirmed that “suspicious drone activity” has occurred in several parts of the state. A drone detection system has been deployed in the cities of Groton and New London.
In Maryland, former Republican governor Larry Hogan said he saw what appeared to be “dozens” of drones over his home in Davidsonville, about 25 miles from Washington DC.
“Like many who have observed these drones, I don’t know if this increasing activity in our skies is a threat to public safety or national security,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
But the public is increasingly concerned and frustrated by the complete lack of transparency and dismissive attitude of the federal government,” he added.
In late November, the United States Air Force also confirmed that unidentified drones had been sighted over three US air bases in the United Kingdom: RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk.
UK defense sources told the BBC that suspicion fell on a “state actor” as being responsible for the incursions.
In October, the Wall Street Journal also reported that mysterious drones were seen for 17 days near US military installations in Virginia.
What are these flying objects?
Federal and state officials have said they do not believe the drones are dangerous or pose a threat to U.S. national security.
Following a meeting with the Department of Homeland Security on Dec. 11, New Jersey Rep. Dawn Fantasia said drones appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio.
Fantasia said the drones are up to 1.8 meters in diameter, travel with their lights off and “operate in a coordinated manner.”
His comments are in stark contrast to the White House, which suggested they would be “manned aircraft.”
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have also said that most of the sightings appear to be legal manned flights.
None were reported in restricted airspace, the statement added.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a statement Friday saying that more and more people are using drones, which means more people are noticing them in the sky.
The agency added that while drones can fly in most locations below 400 feet (121 meters), they cannot fly within controlled airspace around an airport without authorization from the FAA; about designated facilities sensitive to national security; at certain military bases, infrastructure and national landmarks; and in airspace covered by temporary flight restrictions.
Where are they coming from?
If it is confirmed that the objects are drones – which so far has not been confirmed – it is unclear who may be operating the equipment.
Citing anonymous “key sources,” New Jersey Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew said they were coming from an Iranian “mothership” in the Atlantic.
The Pentagon quickly dismissed the comment, saying “there is no truth in that”.
“There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and no so-called mothership launching drones toward the United States,” deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters.
Another lawmaker, Illinois Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi — who is on a congressional committee looking into China’s Communist Party — told NewsNation that there is a “non-trivial” chance that China could be involved.
“It’s definitely a possibility and the likelihood that they could access the data collected by these drones is very high,” he said.
The Pentagon and the White House have insisted that there is no foreign origin for the objects. Van Drew and other lawmakers reject these denials.
Here’s the thing: they don’t know what it is. They don’t know what it’s about,” Van Drew told Fox News. “They have no idea where they come from, but do they know what it’s not about? This is absurd.”
In a separate incident on the other side of the country, a Northern California man was charged on Dec. 11 with flying a drone and taking photos of Vandenberg Space Force Base, located near Santa Barbara.
The incident allegedly occurred on November 30, according to prosecutors.
The man, 39-year-old Chinese citizen Yinpiao Zhou, was arrested shortly before boarding a flight to China. He appeared in court on Tuesday and no appeal was accepted.
There is no suggestion that the incident is related to the spate of drone sightings reported off the east coast of the United States.
Can drones be stopped?
Several parliamentarians suggested that the drones should be shot down and analyzed to determine their origin and intentions.
Proponents of this reaction include President-elect Donald Trump, who used his social network Truth Social to suggest that drones could not fly without the government’s knowledge.
“Let the public know, and now,” he wrote. “Otherwise, take them down.”
The US Federal Aviation Administration also placed temporary flight restrictions prohibiting drone flights over Bedminster and Picatinny.
In a statement, the FAA also warned that drone operators who conduct unsafe or dangerous operations could face fines of up to US$75,000 and have their drone pilot certificates revoked.
In a letter to US President Joe Biden published on December 13, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called on federal agencies to “work together” to solve the mystery, as well as press Congress to extend anti-drone capabilities to the United States. local police.
Some residents have suggested that they can take action against drones themselves – something authorities have strongly warned against doing as it is illegal.
“A good shotgun will solve this problem,” one man commented on a drone video on social media.
