Drone mystery continues in New Jersey as experts offer new theories about sightings

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., urging them to act on counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) legislation. (Credit: Houlahan and Garbarino: Getty Images / Drone: Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)

Bipartisan federal lawmakers are pressing House leaders to include counter-drone and drone-detection technology for state and local law enforcement agencies as part of a year-end continuing resolution pertaining to unmanned aircraft systems.

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.,  and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., urging them to “swiftly take action” on counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) legislation.

Specifically, Garbarino and Houlahan are calling for the legislation to include permissions for state and local law enforcement to protect their communities “from this emerging threat” in a continuing resolution.

“In recent weeks, there has been a sudden surge in sightings of unknown drones over New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and other east coast states,” Houlahan and Garbarino wrote. “Although the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security have claimed that there is not an immediate national security threat, senior officials from both departments have also been extremely clear in numerous appearances before Congress that the federal government does not have the resources to handle every drone threat alone.”

Johnson is a sponsor of the original legislation, which reauthorizes the existing authorities that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have to not only detect, but mitigate drone threats, which are about to expire.

If approved, the bill will expand the authorities within the federal government to protect critical infrastructure like seaports, sports, stadiums, airports and landmarks.

The bill will also create a pilot program allowing a select number of state and local law enforcement agencies to detect and mitigate drone threats, in coordination with federal agencies, while also using training and equipment approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and DHS. 

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slammed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' dismissal of the drone activity and said that to suggest it wasn't unusual activity was ridiculous.

"Is this a mass hysteria of some sort?" ABC News host George Stephanopoulos asked the former governor. The ABC News host also just spoke to Mayorkas, who said the public had no reason to be concerned about the drones and that they hadn't seen any unusual activity.

Dozens of drones have been spotted flying throughout New Jersey over the last few weeks, as government officials have yet to determine where they're coming from or who operates them.

"Here’s why, George," Christie said. "Because of answers like the secretary just gave. They’re not answering the questions."

"To say this is not unusual activity, it’s just wrong. I’ve lived in New Jersey my whole life. This is the first time that I’ve noticed drones over my house. And I was in a restaurant in Monmouth County on Friday night, had people at the bar coming up to me and saying, ‘Gov. Murphy won’t tell me anything. The president won’t tell me anything,’" Christie said.

Read more about what Christie said about the drones.

This is an excerpt from a story by Hanna Panreck.

Boston Logan International Airport (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Boston law enforcement officials arrested two men after they allegedly flew a drone “dangerously close” to Logan Airport from a now decommissioned health campus on an island in Boston Harbor, according to police.

Boston police said 42-year-old Robert Duffy of Charlestown and 32-year-old Jeremy Folcik of Bridgewater, Massachusetts were arrested on Saturday and charged with trespassing, though additional charges could possibly come forward.

At about 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, a Boston police officer who specialized in real-time crime surveillance detected an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) flying “dangerously close” to Logan International Airport, police said.

Using UAS monitoring technology, the officer was able to track down the drone’s location, altitude, flight history and operator’s location, pinning him on Long Island, an island in Boston Harbor.

Due to the drone’s proximity to the airport’s airspace, police were able to coordinate with other resources including Homeland Security, State Police, Federal Communications Commission, and air traffic controllers to address the situation.

Also aiding was the Boston Police Harbor Patrol Unit, which was dispatched to the island. When they arrived, the officers located three individuals inside the decommissioned Long Island Health Campus.

But when officers attempted to contact the individuals, all three allegedly fled on foot. Two of the individuals were apprehended and identified as Folcik and Duffy.

During the investigation, police said, a drone was discovered inside a backpack carried by Duffy.

The search for the third suspect, who police said they believe fled the island in a small boat, is ongoing.

Both Duffy and Folcik are scheduled to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court, police noted, and further charges could be filed pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

“The Boston Police Department reminds recreational drone operators of the importance of adhering to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety guidelines,” police said. “Operators are prohibited from flying drones over people or vehicles and must be aware of airspace restrictions. Even small drones pose significant risks, including the potential for catastrophic damage to airplanes and helicopters. Near-collisions can cause pilots to veer off course, putting lives and property at risk.”

Officials at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio confirmed that small drones were sighted over the facility over the weekend.(Brian Glenn/TMX/AP / Google Maps)

Small drones were spotted over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, over the weekend, according to base officials.

Wright-Patterson AFB Chief of Public Affairs Bob Purtiman confirmed to Fox News on Sunday that “small unmanned aerial systems” were spotted over and in the vicinity of the Air Force base between Friday and Saturday.

“To date, installation leaders have determined that none of the incursions impacted base residents, facilities, or assets,” Purtiman said. “We are taking all appropriate measures to safeguard Wright-Patterson and its residents. Our units continue to monitor the airspace and are working with local authorities to ensure the safety of base personnel, facilities, and assets.”

He also encouraged individuals who spot anything suspicious, including drone or unmanned aerial system activity, to contact local police or Security Forces personnel.

The news comes as concerns continue to grow over the increase in drone sightings across places like New Jersey and New York. In the Garden State, drones have been reported in the area of military research facilities and Trump’s Bedminster golf course.

Concerns over mysterious drones flying over New Jersey and other parts of the North Eastern U.S. are continuing to grow, but now people in California are reporting an increase in possible unmanned aircraft along the West Coast.

In a new video shared with FOX 11 in Los Angeles, possible drones are seen flying near Long Beach on Friday night.

The video came after the station received another cell phone video earlier in the week showing a possible drone flying in Temecula, near Camp Pendleton.

Over the past several weeks, drone sightings in New Jersey have increased, with some sightings being reported over Trump’s Bedminster golf course, and others near military research facilities.

Several lawmakers have called for an investigation into the matter, even demanding U.S. agencies like the Department of Homeland Security deploy advanced drone-detection and tracking technology.

Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling on federal agencies to deploy better drone tracking technology amid growing concerns over unmanned aircraft sightings in New Jersey and New York. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is calling on the federal government to deploy better drone-tracking technology after increasing reports of the unmanned aircraft in parts of New York and New Jersey continue to come in.

The Associated Press reported that Schumer called on the Department of Homeland Security to deploy technology that improves the ability to identify and track drones to their landing locations, according to briefings from his office.

“I’m calling for [Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas] to deploy special drone-detection tech across NY and NJ,” Shumer said in a post on X. “And I’m working to pass a bill in the Senate to give local law enforcement more tools for drone detection.”

The New York senator’s calls come as the public becomes growingly concerned that the federal government has not been able to provide clear explanations on who is operating the drones and why they have not been stopped.

National security officials have stated the drones do not appear to be operated by foreign governments, and have even noted the aircraft in question are in fact manned.

Last week, President-elect Trump posted on social media, “Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge? I don’t think so. Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says federal authorities are deploying a "state of the art" drone detection system to New York amid unexplained drone sightings.

Mysterious drone sightings over New York, New Jersey and elsewhere have concerned residents for more than two weeks. There has been no explanation from President Biden's administration.

“In response to my calls for additional resources, our federal partners are deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system to New York State. This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations. We are grateful to the Biden Administration for their support, but ultimately we need further assistance from Congress. Passing the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act will give New York and our peers the authority and resources required to respond to circumstances like we face today," Hochul said Sunday.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., called out the Biden administration during a press conference Saturday about the recent drone sightings that have stumped U.S. officials.

The unidentified drone sightings, which have been observed flying above U.S. military installations and New Jersey homes since mid-November, have caused concern in the Garden State. 

The aircraft have also been spotted in Connecticut. On Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called for the drones to be "shot down" if necessary. 

On Saturday, U.S. officials held a phone conference with reporters and appeared to downplay concerns about the drones, saying there was no evidence linking the aircraft to foreign adversaries.

Speaking from Seaside Heights, New Jersey, Smith said he asked DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas why the drones' origins are still unknown.

"I asked Secretary Mayorkas at a briefing, a Zoom briefing, why we can't follow them, find out where they're going," the Republican told reporters. "They're coming from somewhere. … You can't seem to do that.

"Why can't we follow them and find what their origin is? Many of them seem to be coming from the ocean."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Andrea Margolis

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the U.S. is not aware of any "foreign involvement with respect to the the sightings in the northeast."

Mayorkas made the statement during a Sunday morning appearance on ABC News with host George Stephanopoulos. President Biden's administration has faced criticism for a lack of transparency regarding the drone sightings.

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie called for more authority for state police to bring drones down amid controversy over mysterious sightings across the state.

Christie made the comments during an appearance on ABC News on Sunday.

President-elect Trump dragged Christie into the drone controversy this weekend after poking fun at the famously rotund figure this weekend. Trump posted an image to social media showing drones over New Jersey delivering McDonald's to Christie.

A New Jersey mayor is calling out White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby for his latest remarks on the purported drones flying through U.S. airspace.

"That is ridiculous. I would invite Mr. Kirby to Mine Hill. Come on out, Mr. Kirby, and let's go on out one night at about 9:30, 10:00," Mine Hill Township Mayor Sam Morris told ABC News Thursday. 

"Mr. Kirby just called the security people at Picatinny Arsenal liars, the Ocean County Sheriff's Department liars, and the state police in New Jersey liars," he elaborated on "The Evening Edit" Friday. 

Kirby said Thursday that a number of the purported drone sightings spotted over New Jersey for the past several weeks appear to be piloted aircraft.

"We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus," Kirby told reporters at the White House press briefing. "The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are investigating these sightings, and they're working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin."

"Using very sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal authorities, we have not been able to, and neither have state or local law enforcement authorities, corroborate any of the reported visual sightings," he said. "To the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully. The United States Coast Guard is providing support to the state of New Jersey, and has confirmed that there is no evidence of any foreign-based involvement from coastal vessels. And importantly, there are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted airspace."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox Business' Madeline Coggins

Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., says the Biden administration's reaction to mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey is "not good enough."

Himes made the comments during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday" with host Jacquie Heinrich. He argued that the lack of an explanation is leading Americans to speculate on their own about the nature of the drones.

Himes went on to criticize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in particular, saying they could make it clear to Americans just how many aircraft fly over New Jersey on a daily basis.

"Just putting information out there that could fill that vacuum would be helpful, but we haven't seen that," Himes said.

U.S. national security officials sought to dispel concerns about the mysterious drones flying over the Northeast in a recent call with reporters, one going as far as describing nationwide uneasiness as "a slight overreaction."

The call, attended by Fox News Digital Saturday, was hosted by senior Biden administration officials, including representatives from the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Security Council (NSC), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD).

The senior officials remained tight-lipped about the origins of the drones, which are still being investigated. The mysterious aircraft were first spotted flying above northern New Jersey in mid-November and have been repeatedly seen by thousands of residents over the past few weeks.

During the call with reporters, an FBI official said his agency has received 5,000 tips since the first mysterious drone was seen flying above the Garden State in November. Of those 5,000 tips, fewer than 100 warranted further investigation, the official said.

The FBI official added that investigators have found no evidence of large-scale unmanned drone activity despite the recent uptick in drone activity in recent weeks.

"We're doing our best to find the origin of that specific … those drone activities," the official said. "But I think there has been a slight overreaction."

Echoing comments from the FBI representative, a DHS official noted that, while his agency is not dismissing all tips about the drones as non-credible, "the amount of actual drone activity is likely less than what's being reported."

A DOD official added that the agency has gathered "no intelligence or observations that would indicate that [the drones] were aligned with a foreign actor or that they had malicious intent."

"But, you know, just to simply tell you, we don't know," the representative said. "We have not been able to locate or identify the operators or the points of origin."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Andrea Margolis

Monmouth County, New Jersey Sheriff Shaun Golden explained his "frustration" over the mixed messages on drone sightings during an appearance on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend.'

Golden said he sent a letter to New Jersey members of Congress calling for legislation that would allow state police to "take down" drones if necessary.

"Right up to President Trump, he said, 'If they're not ours, shoot them down." If this was a national security drill we miserably failed," Golden said. "Drone technology is emerging so much faster, particularly in the defense field. It's matter of national security, and it's a matter of public safety here in New Jersey."

Golden noted that only federal authorities are currently allowed to take down the drones, which he says adds to local police's frustration.

"These things are definitely sophisticated, fast, they turn their lights off at times. So we need to get a handle on what it is and who's running it. We're from Jersey, we can take the truth," he added.

Former CIA Operations officer Laura Ballman says the mysterious drone sightings are 'extremely unsettling' as the public seeks answers on 'Fox News Live.'

Drone sightings across New Jersey have unsettled residents for weeks with no official explanations being offered. Ballman argued that circumstances around the drone sightings suggest it may be a U.S. operation.

"Deducing the statements from [National Security spokesman] John Kirby that these drones are not operating illegally, coupled with several op-eds that have been out there in the last 24 hours about the need to look at our detection systems, makes me think perhaps this is actually a classified exercise to test either evasion technology or detection technology in urban areas," Ballman said.

Ballman went on to say she would be "shocked" if the drones were related to the CIA, saying it is "not their mandate to operate in the United States." She added that she is "troubled" by why the U.S. government has not been forthcoming with information regarding the drones.

U.S. national security officials sought to dispel concerns about the mysterious drones flying over the Northeast in a recent call with reporters, one going as far as describing nationwide uneasiness as "a slight overreaction."

The call, attended by Fox News Digital Saturday, was hosted by senior Biden administration officials, including representatives from the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Security Council (NSC), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD).

The senior officials remained tight-lipped about the origins of the drones, which are still being investigated. The mysterious aircraft were first spotted flying above northern New Jersey in mid-November and have been repeatedly seen by thousands of residents over the past few weeks.