Drone Sightings Pose No Security Risk, Federal Agencies Say

The Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration, and Department of Defense released a joint statement addressing recent drone activity in the United States, emphasizing that current sightings do not pose a national security or public safety risk.

There are more than one million drones lawfully registered with the FAA nationwide, with thousands of commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones in use daily. As drone technology advances, federal officials expect those numbers to increase.

The FBI has received more than 5,000 tips regarding drone sightings in recent weeks, generating approximately 100 leads. Federal agencies are working closely with state and local officials to investigate the reports, deploying advanced detection technology and trained visual observers to the affected areas.

“Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” the agencies said in the statement. “We have not identified anything anomalous.”

Officials stressed that the activity reported so far does not present a risk to civilian airspace in New Jersey or other northeastern states. However, they acknowledged public concern and urged Congress to expand counter-drone legislation to better identify and mitigate potential threats.

In addition, there have been limited visual sightings of drones near military facilities in New Jersey and other locations, including within restricted airspace. The Department of Defense noted that such incidents are not new and said unauthorized access over military installations is taken seriously.

“Local commanders are actively engaged to ensure there are appropriate detection and mitigation measures in place,” the statement said.

Federal agencies will continue to support state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and resources as they investigate the reports.

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