For a month now, observers have been reporting suspicious drone activity on the US East Coast. Despite the services' assurances that there is no evidence of a threat to public safety, even the origin of the observed drones is still unknown. And as they also appear near critically important facilities, calls for more decisive action are becoming louder.
November 18 in New Jersey A “group of objects” that “appeared to be drones” was observed. Since then, further drone flights have been regularly recorded over the eastern coast of the USA. Reports of their presence have so far emerged in at least five states outside New Jersey – New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Virginia.
Drones over strategic facilities in the US and abroad
In New Jersey drones were to appear, among others, near a military research centera U.S. Navy base and owned by the president-elect Donald Trump golf course. In New York, they were to be seen, among others: over the former Fort Wadsworth military facility, or Stewart International Airport, which serves military and civilian traffic. The latter, due to the activity of the suspicious machine, decided on the night from Friday to Saturday temporarily closing its runways.
Drones were also observed near several strategic facilities in Europe from the US perspective. They were supposed to fly near the American air base in Ramstein Germanyabove the buildings of the arms concern Rheinmetall AG and the chemical giant BASF. They were also detected nearby US bases in Great Britain.
SEE ALSO: Mysterious “drones” in the American sky. Conspiracy theories and questions about security abound
Drones over the USA. What makes them different?
According to American media reports, the mysterious drones are distinguished by their size and are larger than those typically used by hobbyists. There is even information in the public space about allegedly sightings of unmanned aerial vehicles the size of cars. According to the FBI and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), most cases do not involve drones, but small manned aircraft incorrectly identified by witnesses.
There have been reports of drones for weeks Reuters
Some drones described by citizens as suspicious may in fact be drones legally used for commercial purposes, said Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, in an interview with CNN. “We are not aware of any threat or any malicious activity,” Mayorkas added. He also assured that if there are any “reasons for concern” in the case, his office will inform about them transparently.
The FBI reports that there are almost a million drones registered in the US. They are legal to operate in most locations during the day and night, provided they remain below 400 feet (122 m), remain within the operator's line of sight, and do not pose a threat to the safety of people, property, or violate airspace regulations .
The services are investigating the case
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has decided to restrict drone flights in selected places in the country. Local, state and federal authorities are investigating the mysterious objects. They assure that there is currently no “known threat” to public safety. However, they take the matter seriously. An FBI spokesman says the agency is “doing everything we can to find out what's going on.”
While the exact origins of the drones remain unknown, the White House says there is “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings indicate a threat to national or public security or have a foreign connection.” A similar opinion was expressed by the Pentagon's deputy press secretary, Sabrina Singh. During a press conference called on Wednesday, she stated that, according to the initial assessment of the US Department of Defense, “these are not drones from a foreign entity or adversary.”
Governors demand action
Despite the reassuring comments of the services and federal officials, state politicians demand intensified actions and more complete information about the details of the case. – This has gone too far – said New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Saturday. The politician called on the US Congress to pass a law providing states with better resources to respond to similar situations. “Until these authorities are granted, the Biden administration must step in by directing additional federal law enforcement to New York and surrounding areas to ensure the safety of our critical infrastructure and people,” Hochul added.
That same day, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy expressed surprise that the federal government didn't seem to know much about what was flying over his state. Two days later, he said that “it's really frustrating that we don't have more answers about where they (the mysterious drones) are coming from and why they're doing what they're doing.”
Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, confirmed that his administration is “aware” of the drone reports and is taking them seriously. He was supposed to have the state police better investigate the case. Maura Healey, the governor of Massachusetts, felt similarly about her. “I am aware of the increasing number of drone sightings in Massachusetts. We are closely monitoring the situation,” the politician wrote on X. Virginia's governor said in a statement Saturday that he was “deeply concerned” about what he considered to be “insufficient information.” He also announced cooperation between state services and federal law enforcement agencies. Tony Hwang, a senator from Connecticut, commented on the case, describing it as “very disturbing.” In his opinion, there is a lack of information “at all levels of government”.
Main photo source: Reuters