The Drone Invasion Continues: Drone Swarms Haunt the Skies Over Northern New Jersey

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating numerous reports of large, mysterious drones that have been spotted in the skies over a number of northern New Jersey counties and towns since November 18. Like the drones appearing over numerous airbases in the UK, the origin and operator of the drone fleet remains unknown, and although officials at both the state and federal levels stress that there currently is no known threat to public safety, those same authorities appear to be unable to do anything about the situation.

While the use of drones by law enforcement, military, commercial and private entities is now commonplace, the recent sightings in New Jersey involve drones roughly the size of an automobile, with some reportedly being a fixed-wing configuration, like a regular-sized aircraft, and others as quadcopters, similar to the smaller, more common devices flown by hobbyists. The drones also feature anti-collision lights, equipment required by the Federal Aviation Administration for drones being flown after dark.

A number of “fixed-wing aircraft” have been spotted flying along New Jersey’s Raritan River, prompting the FBI, the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and New Jersey State Police to issue a joint statement asking the public for information regarding “the recent sightings of possible drones flying in several areas along the Raritan River.”

“Witnesses have spotted the cluster of what look to be drones and a possible fixed-wing aircraft,” according to FBI spokesperson Amy Thoreson. “We have reports from the public and law enforcement dating back several weeks.”

The Raritan River runs within 10 miles of Trump National Golf Club, prompting the FAA to place temporary flight restrictions over the club, of which is owned by President-elect Donald Trump. However, the greater concern is that the drones may be focusing on the U.S. Army’s Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility located in Morris County. Officials at the facility reported drone sightings near the base last month, and issued a statement pointing out “that it is unlawful to fly [drones] over Picatinny Arsenal or any other federal military installation without prior authorization.”

In addition to concerns about security at Picatinny Arsenal, numerous devices have been spotted flying around the Round Valley Reservoir, the state’s largest reservoir, along with “reports of single drones hovering over people’s houses for hours at a time,” according to Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Public Safety liaison, Commissioner John Lanza.

“Other reports say the drones are often clustered together in groups as big as eight,” Lanza added. “Drones are considered aircraft. Aircraft and airspace are strictly regulated by the FAA.”

Despite repeated assurances from authorities that the drones pose no apparent threat to public safety, the presence of a number of the devices prevented a medevac helicopter from airlifting a patient that was seriously injured in an automobile accident on November 26 at Raritan Valley Community College.

“We never found out what the actual drones were,” according to the College’s security supervisor, Brian Serge. “It’s kind of a mystery. We were asking around about that, but nobody knew anything.” According to FAA regulations, drone operators caught endangering aircraft or persons on the ground can face stiff fines of up to $75,000 and lose their operator’s license.

In response to what they are calling “a reactive instead of proactive approach” to the continued presence of the unidentified drones, a group of nineteen elected New Jersey officials, including a number of Morris County mayors and members of Congress, have signed a letter calling for increased assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Homeland Security and New Jersey State Police.

“Either higher level officials know what’s going on and are not concerned or they are negligent for not apprehending and identifying one of these drones,” the letter states. “We strongly request a proactive approach be taken on the half [sic] of the residents of New Jersey and Morris County. These drones have to land at some point somewhere and these offices need to follow them and identify where they are going and who owns them and is operating them.”

The letter went on to say that residents “pay a fortune for government,” and “right now either our government is keeping us in the dark or they are failing to act on taxpayers’ concerns over these unidentified drones.”