What we know about the mysterious drones buzzing over New Jersey

The mystery continues to swirl after nearly a month of drone sightings in New Jersey, sparking fear among residents and a furious debate over what the flying objects are, and if they are drones.

US authorities have been unable to provide definitive answers, saying only that the objects are not believed to pose a threat to public or national security.

On Thursday, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that available footage suggested that many of the reported drone sightings were actually manned aircraft.

But some lawmakers have criticized the government’s handling of drones and the lack of information available to the public.

This is what we know.

Dozens of drone sightings have been reported in New Jersey since Nov. 18, according to local authorities.

The drones were initially spotted near the Raritan River, a waterway that feeds Round Valley Reservoir, New Jersey’s largest, the Associated Press reported.

Sightings soon spread to other parts of the state, including the New Jersey coast.

Some of the flights were spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a sensitive military research facility, as well as near President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in the town of Bedminster, New Jersey.

In nearby New York City, several drones were reported flying over the Bronx on December 12, a police official told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

Officers responding to the incident saw the drones flying overhead, but they disappeared shortly after.

Drones have also been reported in other parts of the state, according to New York State Police.

Connecticut police have also confirmed that “suspicious drone activity” has occurred in various parts of the state. A drone detection system has been deployed in the cities of Groton and New London.

In Maryland, former Republican governor Larry Hogan claimed he saw what appeared to be “dozens” of drones over his residence in Davidsonville, about 25 miles (40 km) from Washington DC.

“Like many who have observed these drones, I don’t know if this increased activity over our skies is a threat to public safety or national security,” he wrote to X. “But the public is increasingly concerned and frustrated for the complete lack of transparency and the contemptuous attitude of the federal government.”

In late November, the US Air Force also confirmed that unidentified drones were spotted at three US air bases in the UK: RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk.

UK defense sources told the BBC that suspicion had fallen on a “state actor” responsible for the raids.

In October, the Wall Street Journal also reported that mysterious drones were seen for 17 days near US military installations in Virginia.

On a call with reporters, officials from several US agencies tried to reassure people that the drones were not the work of a foreign actor or a threat to national security.

“I think there’s been a slight overreaction,” one FBI official said.

While downplaying public concern, authorities were keen to reiterate that investigations into the drone sightings were still ongoing.

“We certainly understand why people are concerned. That’s one of the reasons we’re devoting significant resources,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.

“At the same time, it is important to understand that we have no current evidence that there is a threat to public safety,” DHS added.

Both federal and state authorities have said they do not believe drones are dangerous or pose a threat to US national security.

After a briefing with the Department of Homeland Security on Dec. 11, New Jersey Rep. Dawn Fantasia said drones appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio.

Fantasia said the drones are up to 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter, travel with their lights off and “operate in a coordinated manner.”

His comments are in stark contrast to the White House, which has suggested they are “manned aircraft”.

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security also said most of the sightings appear to be legal manned flights.

No entry into restricted airspace has been reported, the statement added.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a statement Friday saying more people are using drones, which means more people are noticing them in the sky.

He added that while drones can be flown in most places below 400 feet (121 m), drones cannot be flown within the controlled airspace around an airport without authorization from the FAA ; more designated and national security-sensitive facilities; in certain military bases, infrastructures and national landmarks; and in airspace covered by temporary flight restrictions.

If the objects are confirmed to be drones, which is not confirmed at this time, it is unclear who might be operating them.

Citing anonymous “high-level sources,” Rep. Jeff Van Drew, Republican of New Jersey, said they came from an Iranian “mother ship” in the Atlantic.

The Pentagon quickly rejected the comment, saying there was “no truth to it.”

“There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there is no so-called mother ship launching drones at the United States,” deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters.

Another lawmaker, Illinois Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi, who serves on a congressional committee investigating the Chinese Communist Party, told NewsNation there is a “non-trivial” possibility that China could be involved .

“It’s definitely a possibility and the likelihood that they can then access the data that these drones collect is very high,” he said.

The Pentagon and the White House have insisted there is no foreign origin for the objects.

Van Drew and other lawmakers have rejected those denials.

“Here’s the deal: They don’t know what it is. They don’t know what it’s about,” Van Drew told Fox News. “They have no idea where it’s coming from, but they know what it’s not about? That’s bullshit.”

In another nationwide incident, a Northern California man was charged Dec. 11 with flying a drone and taking photos of Vandenberg Air Force Base near Santa Barbara.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the events took place on November 30.

The man, a Chinese Yinpiao Zhou, 39, was arrested just before boarding a flight to China. He appeared in court on Tuesday and no plea was entered.

There has been no suggestion that the incident is related to the series of drone sightings on the East Coast.

Several lawmakers have suggested that drones should be shot down and analyzed to determine their origin and intentions.

Among them is President-elect Donald Trump, who used his social media platform Truth to suggest that drones could not be flown without the government’s knowledge.

“Let the public know, and now,” he wrote. “Otherwise shoot them.”

The US Federal Aviation Administration has also established temporary flight restrictions prohibiting drone flights over Bedminster and Picatinny.

In a statement, the FAA also warned that drone operators who conduct unsafe or dangerous operations could face fines of up to $75,000 (£59,000) and have their drone pilot certificates revoked.

In a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden released Dec. 13, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy urged federal agencies to “work together” to solve the mystery, as well as push Congress to extend anti-drone capabilities to local law enforcement.

Some residents have suggested they can take action against the drones themselves, which authorities have strongly warned against doing, as it is illegal.

“A good shotgun will solve this problem,” one man commented on a drone video on social media.