No security, safety threat from reported drone sightings: US agencies

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 Dec 2024 09:12

The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, FBI, and Federal Aviation Administration announce that they "have not identified anything anomalous."

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A drone and unidentified operator rests on the roof of the Heber Ladner Building that faces the south steps of the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Sunday, January 17, 2021. (AP)

Unidentified drones recently spotted across parts of the United States pose no threat to national security or public safety, government agencies confirmed on Tuesday.

President Joe Biden addressed the reports, stating, "Nothing nefarious apparently. There are a lot of drones authorized. We are following this closely. So far no sense of danger."

For weeks, residents in the northeastern United States have reported unidentified drone activity, fueling concerns about potential foreign involvement and suspicions of a government cover-up.

In a joint statement, the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, FBI, and Federal Aviation Administration announced that they "have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast."

"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," they clarified.

Top American officials have previously dismissed claims of foreign involvement, including speculation about drones originating from an Iranian or Chinese "mothership" off the coast.

Nevertheless, video footage of unexplained aerial phenomena continues to circulate on social media, with sightings reported in states like New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia.

President-elect Donald Trump has claimed that the US government "knows what is happening," hinting at a possible cover-up. However, the Biden administration has firmly rejected such allegations.

US senator requests drone detection systems amid mystery sightings

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is working to pass a bill aimed at providing local law enforcement with additional tools for drone detection after a series of unexplained drone sightings in Northeastern states.

Schumer took the matter online and requested that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas provide "special drone-detection tech" for New York and New Jersey following several unexplained sightings of unidentified flying objects over their skies, forcing NY Stewart International Airport to shut down on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, Schumer revealed that the detection systems requested were the Robin Radar Systems, reportedly specialized for their 360-degree technology. "If the technology exists for a drone to make it up into the sky, there certainly is technology that can track the craft with precision and determine what the heck is going on, and that's what the Robin does," he added.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said in an online statement on Sunday that "our federal partners" are "deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system" to New York, which she noted would aid both state and federal law enforcement in their investigations. However, she emphasized that additional support is still required.

Moreover, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who reposted Schumer's call, urged President Joe Biden to increase investigation efforts into the drone sightings, adding that he met with NJ State Police officials and radar technicians, who have been monitoring the area in search of unmanned aircraft systems.

"The public deserves clear answers — we will keep pushing the federal government for more information and resources," he stated, noting that "We are ready to assist the federal government in getting to the bottom of this," following a meeting with an FBI official.

Mayorkas, on the other hand, stated on X that the Biden administration had deployed technology to New Jersey, noting that many of the "reported sightings have turned out to be piloted aircraft," a conclusion confirmed by the technology sent there.

Speaking on ABC News' This Week earlier Sunday, he also asserted that there is no evidence of "foreign involvement in the sightings in the Northeast."