What we know about the drones detected in New Jersey and other states

Mysterious drones have been appearing in the skies over New Jersey and other states for weeks, confusing residents and prompting lawmakers to call for more answers about what exactly is going on.

Since mid-November, the drones have been lighting up the night sky without any real explanation. While there are still many questions surrounding the phenomenon, here’s what we know.

When were drones first discovered?

The drones were first seen in New Jersey on November 18. They seem to appear in the late night hours, although it is not clear if they are present every single night.

A senior official briefed on the New Jersey drone sightings told NBC News that there have been reports of sightings every night except Thanksgiving, and that there have been “little to no” reports of drones during the day.

NBC News has been tracking reports of possible drone sightings, mostly in New Jersey, since at least Dec. 3.

Where are the drones spotted now?

The drones were first spotted in North Jersey, but now appear to be popping up across the state. NBC News has also tracked possible drone sightings in New York, Maryland and Florida.

Where do they come from and why are they there

These remain the biggest unknowns, with officials unable to pinpoint where the mysterious objects originated or explain exactly what they are doing there.

“We have no idea where these drones are coming from, who owns them. We should do some very urgent intelligence analysis and get them out of the sky,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. said Thursday.

The Pentagon has said they are not owned by the military and that they did not come from an Iranian “mothership” on the East Coast, as suggested by Rep. Jeff Van Drew, RN.J.

What kind of drones are they?

Officials have said the drones appear to be commercial grade, not recreational, and can be up to 6 feet in diameter.

At a Wednesday briefing with a representative from the Department of Homeland Security and local New Jersey officials, officials said they cannot confirm whether the drones belong to U.S. companies or foreign entities.

How many drone sightings have there been?

Mayors present at Wednesday’s briefing told NBC News that no one from state or federal agencies was able to confirm exactly how many drones had been seen over New Jersey.

One said they know of “at least 400 sightings” and another said “there could be thousands.”

On a Wednesday part of a program on radio station WBGO, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said there could be “over-reporting” of sightings, with many residents potentially seeing the same device or mistaking other flying objects for drones.

A senior official briefed on the drone sightings in New Jersey said there were 79 reports of drone sightings overnight from Thursday to Friday in the state.

Several New Jersey officials have said that the drone sightings occur up to 180 times per day. night.

What have officials said?

Numerous officials, including the FBI, have said the drones do not appear to pose a threat, but were unable to provide more information. The FBI is the lead agency investigating the case.

President Joe Biden was briefed on the drones earlier this week.

In a statement to NBC News, the US Secret Service confirmed that it “does not currently have any unmanned aerial systems operating in or around New Jersey or New York.”

The Federal Aviation Administration has launched a new website dedicated to drones that aims to answer common questions about the flying objects.

A common thread among lawmakers is that no one really knows what’s going on.

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said in a post on X“neither the White House, the military, the FBI, nor Homeland Security have any idea what they are, where they came from, or who launched or controls them — and that they pose no threat.”

Lawmakers have also expressed frustration with the lack of information from federal officials and demanded timely answers.

“That response is completely unacceptable,” Hogan continued. “I join the growing bipartisan chorus of leaders demanding that the federal government immediately address this problem.”

Murphy, the New Jersey governor, wrote letters to Biden, Sens. Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell, Rep. Mike Johnson and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, in which they urged Congress to act.

Murphy said he wants to “encourage Congress to pass legislation authorizing state and local law enforcement agencies to use advanced detection and mitigation technologies to deal with UAS.”

What happens if a drone is over your house?

Drones must be operated by a pilot so they are not a threat to people or their property, according to the FAA’s website dedicated to drones, which suggests contacting local law enforcement if you think someone is flying a drone unsafely.

But you definitely shouldn’t try to shoot them down, experts told NBC News, despite some lawmakers suggesting you should.

Experts said shooting drones is illegal and can result in serious injuries. The FAA classifies drones as aircraft and below Aircraft Sabotage Actdamaging or destroying aircraft is a federal offense – even if it flies over private property.

“A private citizen firing at any aircraft – including unmanned aircraft – poses a significant security risk. An unmanned aircraft hit by gunfire could crash and cause damage to people or property on the ground, or it could collide with other objects in the air.” said the FAA.

It can also start fires, according to Pramod Abichandani, an associate professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and director of the school’s Advanced Air Mobility Lab.

“A drone mostly has a lithium battery,” Abichandani said. “If you shoot at it, provided you aim it correctly and you actually hit the drone, the drone will fall somewhere. The lithium battery can explode, cause a fire, and of course it can cause property damage.”

Abichandani also noted the dangers of shooting into the night sky.

“God forbid that stray bullet lands somewhere and hits somebody,” he said.