What are the flying objects seen in New Jersey? | New Jersey

On By Littum

Since around mid-November, hundreds of New Jersey residents have called law enforcement and state officials after seeing what appeared to be drones in the skies over about a dozen counties. The reports have it become more frequent in recent days. In some sightings, mysterious car-sized flying objects, sometimes in groups, were seen over military installations and critical infrastructure such as energy plants, railway stations and reservoirs. Republican state Sen. Jon Bramnick said it amounted to “a limited state of emergency”.

What are the flying objects?

No one has yet been able to correctly identify them. White House officials say they are not part of the US military and believe they are mostly “manned aircraft … operating legally”. No foreign involvement is suspected and there is no apparent threat to public safety or national security, the Pentagon says. Phil Murphy, the Democratic governor of New Jersey, called them “unmanned aerial systems,” or UAS, in a letter to President Joe Biden demanding further investigation. Their size, about 6 feet across by some accounts, makes it unlikely that they are toy or hobbyist drones flown by amateurs.

Could they be UFOs or sent by a hostile alien power?

The White House, the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI all say no. Even if they don’t know exactly what the objects are, they are sure to know what they are not. John Kirby, the government’s national security spokesman, told reporters on Thursday that there was no evidence of any overseas involvement – adding that federal and state authorities had yet to confirm any reported sighting. “Historically, we have experienced cases of mistaken identity where reported drones are actually manned aircraft or facilities,” a FBI statement released Friday said.

What do the politicians say?

There is growing, bipartisan anger over the government’s seemingly dismissive response to the incidents. Murphy, the New Jersey governor, wrote to Biden to demand more resources for a federal investigation, citing his “growing concern” about the increasing frequency of the reports. Republicans have been more critical, with some accusing authorities of negligence. New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew told a House committee that he had information that the drones were being launched from an offshore Iranian “mother ship” and that the government was “dealing with the American people as if we were stupid.”

Where else have they been seen?

In addition to New Jersey, sightings have been reported in parts of Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia in recent days and weeks. On Thursday night, Larry Hogan, the Republican former governor of Maryland, said he saw dozens of large drones for about 45 minutes over his house in Davidsonville. Abroad, drones have recently been seen at a US air base in Germany and at RAF bases in the UK used by US forces, but there is so far no known link to events in the US.

So what is being done about them?

The Federal Aviation Administration has implemented drone no-fly zones in some areas of New Jersey, including an Army facility in Morris County and President-elect Donald Trump’s golf resort in Bedminster, while the investigation continues. Some local officials want a nationwide ban. The Pentagon, which has not established any security threat, is leaving it to the FBI, working with government agencies, to better understand what the objects are and where they came from. The FBI’s Newark field office has, in cooperation with the State Police asked for the public’s help.

What is the law on drones?

Drones, and flying them, are regulated by strings FAA laws and regulationswhich includes mandatory registration for most types of private and commercial unmanned aerial systems, as well as restrictions on where and when they can be flown. For example, it is prohibited to fly UAS near airports, military installations and facilities, and over people, depending on their size. It is a criminal offense to shoot down drones due to the safety implications. The FAA has the authority to close airspace to all drone flights at its discretion.