Official announcements from the Department of Homeland Security

Agencies Say 5,000 Drone Sightings Pose No Threat, Drones Operating Legally

Dec 17, 2024, 04:41 AM

Federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense (DoD) have released a joint statement addressing recent drone sightings in northeastern states, including New Jersey. According to the statement, the drone sightings do not pose a national security or public safety risk. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby stated, "Our assessment is that this is lawful, legal, commercial, hobbyist, and even law enforcement aircraft activity. Some of it's manned, some of it's unmanned." He also noted that some sightings may have been misidentified airplanes, helicopters, or even stars mistaken for drones. The FBI has received more than 5,000 tips regarding drone sightings in recent weeks, with approximately 100 leads generated for further investigation. Officials emphasized that there are over one million drones registered with the FAA in the United States, with approximately 8,500 drones in flight on any given day for various lawful purposes. The Pentagon confirmed that these drones are not military assets.