Drones latest: New Jersey airspace closes to drones as officials try to slow number of sightings
New Jersey residents should avoid shooting down or shining lasers at suspect unmanned aircraft systems after complaints from pilots, the FBI warns
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Your support makes all the difference.New Jersey’s airspace has been temporarily closed to drones for “special security reasons,” as authorities have worked to slow the number of sightings across the eastern US.
Dozens of areas were affected by the restrictions imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Many were located near local airports, including Teterboro and Trenton-Robbinsville, News 12 New Jersey reported.
The bans are in addition to others that went into effect after the first drone sighting in November, and come amid efforts to quell fears regarding their presence.
Drones have also been spotted in Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, California and Florida.
Lawmakers took to the news and social media to voice their concerns and what they said was a lack of communication from the federal government.
House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested on Wednesday that the Biden administration had brushed off concerns. Democrats have had similar reactions.
“This is why we need Donald J. Trump back in the White House, to bring a steady hand to the wheel and a strong commander-in-chief. He would have already had the answers,” he told Fox and Friends.
A bill that would allow law enforcement agencies to track aerial drones was blocked Wednesday night.
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NJ congressman calls on FAA to hold briefing after temporarily restricting airspace
Congressman Josh Gottheimer is calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to host a briefing regarding its decision to ban drones over New Jersey communities.
“I reached out to the FAA first thing this morning and asked for an immediate briefing on their decision to ban drones from flying around twenty-two New Jersey towns,” he said, according to Insider NJ. “They must brief the public on the reasons for their action. Decisions like these made in a vacuum only lead to more confusion and uncertainty. These federal agencies must do better by Jersey families.”
Virginia police receive more than 150 tips about drone activity
Virginia state police said Thursday that they have received more than 150 tips about drone activity in the state this month.
“We encourage anyone that witnesses a drone flying over critical infrastructure, such as energy installations, or military sites, to contact the Virginia Fusion Center,” Virginia State Police Special Agent D. Robinson said, according to WDBJ. “This will enable us to work with our partners to determine exactly what is occurring, and how to move forward.”
Connecticut lawmaker stresses drone sightings are not a ‘federal operation’
Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes said the drones people are seeing in New Jersey and other states are “not a federal operation.”
“What people are seeing or videotaping are either commercial or general aviation aircraft,” he told FOX 61. “In some instances, are law enforcement drones ... other commercial drones, or even hobbyist drones.”
Himes is a member of the House Intelligence Committee which had a classified briefing on the issue on Tuesday.
FAA temporarily bans drones over 22 New Jersey areas due to security reasons
The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed a temporary drone ban over 22 areas in New Jersey.
The agency cited “security reasons,” according to News 12 New Jersey,
Senate blocks bill related to drone sightings
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer from advancing a bill that would allow local law enforcement agencies to track aerial drones on Wednesaday.
It ensures Congress won't act this year on the mysterious drone sightings that have bewildered residents of New Jersey and across the eastern US.
Schumer, a New York Democrat, sought to speed a bipartisan bill through the upper chamber by seeking unanimous consent on the floor, but Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, objected to its passage.
“The people in New York and New Jersey have a lot of questions, and they’re not getting good enough answers,” said Schumer. “The utter confusion surrounding these drone sightings shows that the feds can’t respond all on their own.”
New Jersey brewery owner says she’s seeing ‘weird’ stuff
A New Jersey brewery owner says she knows people think she’s wrong about seeing the drones over her family’s home.
“It sucks that there’s a lot of people out there now that are saying, ‘You guys are crazy,’ ” Chrissy Doremus, of Morris County, told The Washington Post. “At this point, we know what planes look like. We know what helicopters are. And we’re seeing weird [stuff] out here.”
NJ military base 'target of contraband-smuggling drones’
A New Jersey military base says it has been targeted by contraband-smuggling drones and has put countermeasures in places to thwart incursions.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst said that incidents relate to efforts to drop prohibited items into FCI Fort Dix federal prison, which is housed on the facility.
“This year, there have been multiple drone detections, involving attempts to smuggle contraband into the federal correctional institution hosted on our base,” a base spokesperson toldThe War Zone.
Unmanned aircraft systems have previously smuggled cellphones, drugs and tobacco, and weight loss supplements amongst other items, according to the report.
‘Super-scary’ drone sightings unsettle New Jersey resident
A New Jersey woman says recent drone sightings have been scary to see nearly every night.
“Every day, I am seeing more and more,” Carla Sousa, 36, told The Washington Post. “All different shapes and sizes. Some are silent, and some sound like helicopters. I saw one that looked like an aircraft.”
“It’s been super-scary,” she added. “My anxiety has been at an all-time high.”
Sen. Time Kaine says he’s ‘very frustrated’ by lack of answers about 2023 drone incursions
Virginia Democratic Sen. Time Kaine says he is “very frustrated” with “so many unanswered questions” that remain about the drones that flew near a Virginia military installation for more than two weeks in December 2023.
“We’re kind of at the year anniversary of these incursions at Langley. And I’m very frustrated with the fact that there’s still so many unanswered questions,” Kaine told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
New York official calls out federal government on drone response
“We don’t have the right tech, our internal processes are a mess, and I’m not even sure the right departments are in charge,” Rep. Pat Ryan said in a release. “Let’s take the time now to get this right.”
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