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DHS, FBI, FAA, and DoD issue joint statement on response to reported drone sightings

There are more than one million drones lawfully registered with the FAA in the United States, with thousands of commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones operating in the sky on any given day. As the technology landscape evolves, this number is expected to increase over time, officials said.

The FBI has received tips about more than 5,000 reported drone sightings in the last few weeks, generating approximately 100 leads. The federal government is supporting state and local officials in investigating these reports. Advanced detection technology and trained visual observers have been sent to the region to assist with the investigation, officials said.

After closely examining the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, it has been determined 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. No anomalies have been identified, and the activity is not assessed as presenting a national security or public safety risk over civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast, officials said.

Despite this, there is recognition of concerns among many communities. The federal government continues to support state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and law enforcement assistance. There is also a call for Congress to enact counter-UAS legislation when it reconvenes, which would extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to address any emerging threats, officials said.

Additionally, there have been a limited number of visual sightings of drones over military facilities in New Jersey and other locations, including within restricted airspace. These sightings near or over Department of Defense (DoD) installations are not new, officials said.

The DoD takes unauthorized access to its airspace seriously and coordinates closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities as needed. Local commanders are actively engaged to ensure that appropriate detection and mitigation measures are in place, officials said.

Jay Edwards

Born and raised in Northwest NJ, Jay has a degree in Communications and has had a life-long interest in local radio and various styles of music. Jay has held numerous jobs over the years such as stunt car driver, bartender, voice-over artist, traffic reporter (award winning), NY Yankee maintenance crewmember and peanut farm worker. His hobbies include mountain climbing, snowmobiling, cooking, performing stand-up comedy and he is an avid squirrel watcher. Jay has been a guest on America’s Morning Headquarters,program on The Weather Channel, and was interviewed by Sam Champion.

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