NEW JERSEY (WABC) — The large mysterious drones reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks appear to avoid detection by traditional methods, like helicopters and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security.
Mayors and lawmakers from across the state were briefed on what federal officials know so far and who they think is behind the drones suddenly appearing.
In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off. The Morris County Republican was among several state and local lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the spate of sightings that range from the New York City area through New Jersey, eastward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia.
The devices do not appear to be being flown by hobbyists, Fantasia wrote.
Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month and have raised growing concern among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility; and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.
Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.
Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey were larger than those typically used by hobbyists.
The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once.
Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to threaten public safety. The FBI has been investigating and has asked residents to share any videos, photos or other information they may have.
Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, U.S. Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones. However, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Wednesday that “our initial assessment here is that these are not drones or activities coming from a foreign entity or adversary.”
The Pentagon also denied theories that Iran launched a mothership off the eastern coast of the U.S.
“There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there is no so-called ‘mothership’ launching drones towards the United States,” Singh said.
Many municipal lawmakers have called for more restrictions on who is entitled to fly the unmanned devices. At least one state lawmaker proposed a temporary ban on drone flights in the state.
“This is something we’re taking deadly seriously. I don’t blame people for being frustrated,” Murphy said earlier this week. A spokesman for the Democratic governor said he did not attend Wednesday’s meeting.
Republican Assemblyman Erik Peterson, whose district includes parts of the state where the drones have been reported, said he also attended Wednesday’s meeting at a state police facility in West Trenton. The session lasted for about 90 minutes.
Peterson said DHS officials were generous with their time, but appeared dismissive of some concerns, saying not all the sightings reported have been confirmed to involve drones.
So who or what is behind the flying objects? Where are they coming from? What are they doing? “My understanding is they have no clue,” Peterson said.
A message seeking comment was left with the Department of Homeland Security.
New Jersey Rep. Smith sent a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to help identify and address the widespread drone activity.
In an interview with another media outlet Tuesday night, Smith described going to Island Beach State Park with the Ocean County Sheriff on Sunday to see the drones and speak with other officials.
Smith said he spoke to a Coast Guard Commander who told him that two nights ago one of their 47-foot vessels was trailed very closely by more than a dozen drones. An officer working for the Ocean County Sheriff also told Rep. Smith that he counted 50 drones coming from the ocean towards the coast.
However, New Jersey State Senator Holly Schepisi said in a statement that she left Wednesday’s meeting feeling discouraged.
“While the New Jersey State Police share the concerns of our office and the general public, the Department of Homeland Security’s response was abysmal and actually made me feel less confident in our federal government’s reaction to this issue rather than more,” Schepisi said. “For the federal government to not dedicate every defense resource needed to identify the origin and purpose of these drones in the most densely populated state in the nation is inexplicable and completely unacceptable. From a bipartisan perspective, most of the legislators in attendance shared the same view. We are going to have to work together and force the powers that be in DC to actually wake up and pay attention to the residents of New Jersey.”
Belleville Mayor Michael Melham also said the meeting was “disappointing, to say the least.”
“Over 500 mayors were invited to an unprecedented ‘mayors-only’ briefing on such an important topic, and the Governor wasn’t even there,” Melham said. “Many northern NJ mayors traveled nearly 3 hours round trip, on short notice, to be there, only to learn what could have easily been said over a Zoom call. Many walked out.”
He said despite the meeting, “we have a job to do in Belleville. After all, if the state won’t act, we must!”
Meanwhile, Congressman Josh Gottheimer announced on Tuesday new legislation to address the recent disturbances in more than a dozen counties.
The FBI and FAA last week asked the public to help in their search for where and who is behind the drone activity.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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