Here's what we know (and don't know) about NJ's drone sightings
NEW JERSEY - Have you seen them?
Mysterious drone sightings have been reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks, sparking speculation, concern and questions over who sent them – and why.
LATEST DRONE NEWS: TIMELINE l NYC SIGHTINGS l ARE THEY DANGEROUS?
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, as well as law enforcement officials, have stressed the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety, but many state and municipal lawmakers have nonetheless called for stricter rules about who can fly the unmanned aircraft.
Featured
Plane or drone? Here's how to check what's flying overhead
As officials continue to investigate the origins of mysterious drones spotted over the skies in New Jersey, there's an easy (and free) way to help you tell what you've spotted.
The FBI is among several agencies investigating and has asked residents to share videos, photos and other information they may have about the drones.
NJ drones: How we got here
Dozens of witnesses reported seeing the drones in the state beginning in November.
At first, they were spotted flying along the Raritan River, but soon sightings were reported statewide, including near the Picatinny Arsenal and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. The aircraft were also recently spotted in coastal areas.
Featured
Gov. Hochul announces federal drone detection system for NY
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Sunday that the federal government is deploying a drone detection system to the state to aid in investigations into recent drone sightings.
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said a Coast Guard commanding officer told him a dozen drones closely followed a Guard lifeboat near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County over the weekend.
Drones spotted over NYC?
Drone sightings have been reported in New York. NYC Mayor Eric Adams said the city was investigating and collaborating with New Jersey and federal officials.
Drone detection system
Meanwhile, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Sunday that the federal government is deploying a drone detection system to the state to aid in investigations into recent drone sightings.
"In response to my calls for additional resources, our federal partners are deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system to New York State. This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations," Hochul said in a statement.
Are they dangerous?
The White House has said that a review of the reported sightings shows that many of them are actually manned aircraft being flown lawfully, echoing the opinion of officials and drone experts.
The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose "a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus."
Featured
NJ drone mystery: Lawmaker pushes for 'military intervention'
"We know nothing. PERIOD. To state that there is no known or credible threat is incredibly misleading, and I informed all officials of that sentiment," Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia.
Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia, who was briefed by the Department of Homeland Security, said the reported drones have been up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and sometimes travel with their lights switched off. This is much larger than those typically flown by drone hobbyists, and she said they appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio.
Who sent the drones?
Authorities say they do not know.
The FBI, Homeland Security and state police are investigating the sightings. Authorities say they don’t know if it is one drone that has been spotted many times or if there are multiple aircraft being flown in a coordinated effort.
Featured
Mysterious NJ drone sightings lead to more questions: 'Is the public at risk?'
New Jersey sightings of the drones have been reported from down the Jersey Shore up to Sussex and Bergen counties.
Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drone or drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents.
Officials stress that ongoing state and federal investigations have found no evidence to support those concerns, but Rep. Smith on Saturday echoed such speculation.
"The elusive maneuvering of these drones suggests a major military power sophistication that begs the question whether they have been deployed to test our defense capabilities — or worse — by violent dictatorships, perhaps maybe Russia, or China, or Iran, or North Korea," he said.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Wednesday that the aircraft are not U.S. military drones.
Have drones been spotted anywhere else?
Sightings also have been reported in Virginia and elsewhere.
Drone sightings Virginia Beach
Two people said they spotted an aircraft Thursday night near Virginia Beach that was unlike any other they’ve seen.
The object was over the ocean, and they watched as it slowly moved over an Army National Guard facility, John Knight told The Virginian-Pilot.
Tri-state residents seek answers amid drone sightings
The feds are working to quash worries as the rash of mysterious drone sightings has those in the tri-state demanding answers about where the objects are coming from. FBI officials are saying out of the 5,000 reported sightings, less than 100 are credible, saying in most situations, the sightings are a case of mistaken identity. FOX 5 NY's Jessica Formoso spoke with a man who says he spotted one.
The Virginia National Guard did not have any aircraft operating in the area Thursday night, according to spokesperson A.A. "Cotton" Puryear. Its leadership is aware of the incident, and it’s under investigation.
Another military installation in the area is Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex. NAS Oceana, the East Coast master jet base in Virginia Beach, is aware of recent reports of sightings in the area and is coordinating with federal and state agencies to ensure the safety of its personnel and operations, Katie Hewett, public affairs officer, said Friday by email.
In Massachusetts, 10 to 15 drones were reported hovering over a home on Thursday night in Harwich on Cape Cod. A resident told police they were bright and she observed them for more than an hour.
Earlier that evening, an off-duty police officer in the same town noticed similar activity near a public safety complex, police said. The information was forwarded to the FBI and Massachusetts State Police.
Drones were also spotted last month in the U.K. The U.S. Air Force said several small unmanned aircraft were detected near four military bases in England that are used by American forces.