The White House, FBI and Homeland Security has said they had no evidence that drone sightings reported in New Jersey posed national security or safety threats, despite concerns raised by lawmakers.
The FBI and DHS in a joint statement said “it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft, operating lawfully. There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space. ”
White House spokesperson John Kirby told a news briefing that federal authorities were investigating the sightings in cooperation with New Jersey state and local law enforcement. Most of the sightings have been of aircraft operating lawfully, he said. “While there is no known malicious activity occurring, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight a gap in authority,” Kirby said.
Kirby repeated White House calls on Congress to pass legislation to expand the ability of authorities to identify and counter drones that are a threat to airports or other critical infrastructure. The Federal Aviation Administration said it began receiving reports of drone activity near Morris County, New Jersey, on Nov. 18.
The Pentagon has said an initial assessment had shown the drones were not from another country. It said the U.S. military had not shot them down because they did not pose a threat to military installations. Asked if President Joe Biden’s administration was considering prohibiting drone use in U.S. airspace, Kirby said: “I don’t know that we’re at a stage right now where we’re considering that sort of a policy option”.
