On Monday night, federal authorities and the U.S. military issued a comprehensive statement following an in-depth investigation into the mysterious drone sightings on the East Coast. They confirmed that the sightings do not indicate any malicious activity or pose a threat to the public.
The statement, released by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, FAA, and Department of Defense, comes after weeks of speculation and extensive media coverage, with many of the sightings taking place in New Jersey.
“Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” the statement said. “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.”
U.S. government agencies stated that there are currently over a million registered drones in the country, with thousands being flown daily—a number they expect to grow in the coming years.
They also reported that the FBI has received more than 5,000 tips in recent weeks, resulting in approximately 100 leads that authorities have investigated.
“We continue to support state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and support of law enforcement,” the statement said. “We urge Congress to enact counter-UAS legislation when it reconvenes that would extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge.”
They noted that while drone sightings near U.S. military facilities are concerning, they are not a new occurrence. The Department of Defense emphasized that it takes unauthorized airspace access seriously and works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies when necessary.
“Local commanders are actively engaged to ensure there are appropriate detection and mitigation measures in place,” the statement added.
