Homeland security officials meet with lawmakers about mysterious drone flights in New Jersey

[OKIsItJustMe]

Source: AP

Homeland security officials meet with lawmakers about mysterious drone flights in New Jersey

By BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI
Updated 1:47 PM EST, December 11, 2024

Homeland security officials in New Jersey huddled with state and local lawmakers Wednesday to discuss the recent spate of drone sightings throughout the state.

Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month and have raised growing concern among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility; and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.

Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey were larger than those typically used by hobbyists.

…

Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to threaten public safety. The FBI has been investigating and has asked residents to share any videos, photos or other information they may have.

…

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-a978470fa3bb07ed3e98c5b7c18f0abb

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[intrepidity]

1. "Don't threaten public safety"?

Then why is it illegal to fly them after dark???

[BamaRefugee]

2. Stop asking smart questions! You're making officials nervous.

[C0RI0LANUS]

3. The Garden State has resources to deal with these mystery drones.

The NJ State Police maintains a small fleet of helicopters. Trenton also gives residents of the Garden State mechanisms to report suspicious drones.

Why these well-paid elite flying gumshoes haven't figured this out beats me.


Photo: courtesy Patch.com


Photo: courtesy of policemag.com



Sources:

https://www.helis.com/database/sqd/New-Jersey-State-Police/cn

https://www.nj.gov/njsp/division/homeland-security/special-operations.shtml

https://www.njohsp.gov/threat-landscape/drones-and-unmanned-aircraft-systems

[royable]

4. Isn't there a way to shoot a weighted net at a drone to bring it down somewhat intact? n/t

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. First question: Who are you going to piss off by doing it?

Someone has invested a fair amount of money in those larger drones. (The US taxpayer perhaps? A foreign adversary?)

Their behavior suggests mapping/reconnoissance; someone apparently wants more detail than commercial providers can/will give them.

The suggestion that it’s some sort of military testing now seems unlikely to me. They’re apparently covering a large area.

[chowder66]

7. Six ways to disable a drone

The last two are my favorite....
1. Guns (not really recommended)
2. Nets (drones with nets, etc)
3. Radio Waves
4. Hacking
5. Eagles (awesome imagery)
6. Jet Skis (awesome imagery)


https://www.brookings.edu/articles/six-ways-to-disable-a-drone/

[EarthFirst]

6. Still going with "mysterious"

I’m not believing that there is zero knowledge of their origin.

[C0RI0LANUS]

8. I seem to recall reading about US military personnel manning air defense weapons in the NCR after 9/11.

About these unidentified drones over the skies of the Garden State, we keep witnessing a kabuki theater about their origins and intentions. If there is a genuine threat to the Homeland or the President-elect, those drones would have been blasted out of the sky. Americans by nature have grown to be, shall we say, "trigger happy."

As I wrote earlier, NJSP maintains a helicopter fleet that can probably reach every area of NJ within half an hour to interrogate the situation.

[OKIsItJustMe]

9. Mucf of the "Garden State" is fairly densely populated

I don’t want to have large pieces of shrapnel falling on people’s heads.

[COL Mustard]

10. The military is restricted in what it can do against drones

It’s not legal to shoot them down, and they can’t use electronic warfare capabilities because of the potential to impact civilian aviation nearby. Nets are a good idea, but hard to use in reality.

Also there’s no Federal law against flying drones over military installations or other protected areas (but I don’t recommend you test that).

[OKIsItJustMe]

12. "... no Federal law against flying drones over military installations ..."

https://inphoenixaviation.com/drone-no-fly-zones/#2_Military_Bases_and_Installations

2. Military Bases And Installations
Military bases and installations are highly sensitive and protected by federal law. The Department of Defense restricts drone flights over military zones due to the potential risk to national security. Flying drones near military installations or over designated restricted airspace (such as Prohibited Areas and Restricted Areas marked on FAA sectional charts) is strictly forbidden.

Military bases often have their own no-fly zones extending beyond the base itself, making it critical to double-check airspace status in areas surrounding such installations. Some military zones may allow drones to operate within specific altitudes or during specific times, but only with proper authorization.

In this case, I believe the FAA has put temporary restrictions in place.

https://inphoenixaviation.com/drone-no-fly-zones/#4_Temporary_Flight_Restrictions_TFRs

4. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) are imposed by the FAA for specific events or situations, such as large public gatherings, natural disasters, or significant government activities. These zones are temporary but enforceable, with penalties similar to permanent no-fly zones.

• Examples: TFRs are often issued for events like major sports games, concerts, presidential visits, and even natural disasters.
• Duration: TFRs are time-bound but can last from hours to weeks, depending on the event or emergency response needs.

Checking for TFRs before flight is essential to ensure that your planned route is unaffected by temporary restrictions.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/12/11/can-you-shoot-down-drones-new-jersey-sightings/76922110007/

Mystery drones are swarming New Jersey skies, but can you shoot them down?
USA TODAY

Clusters of unidentified drones buzzing the night skies over New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York have alarmed residents, infuriated members of Congress and prompted a call for a state of emergency in the Garden State.

…

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has said the drone sightings over the last month are under investigation. On Wednesday, he held a briefing call with Alejandro Mayorkas, who runs the Department of Homeland Security.

Testifying before a congressional hearing this week, Robert W. Wheeler Jr., assistant director of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group, said the agency still can’t explain the drones, some of which have been spotted over military installations and other sensitive sites such as President-elect Donald Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

…

Elected officials in Morris County, New Jersey sent a letter to federal agencies. The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily banned drone flights over the Picatinny Arsenal Army facility and Trump’s golf club.

…

[COL Mustard]

13. There's no real penalty

I guess confiscation of the drone, and whatever State or local law is in effect, but that’s about it.

[OKIsItJustMe]

14. What interests me is...

… I saw a demonstration of someone flying a consumer drone in the desert, where it flew back, reporting that it had encountered a restricted airspace.

(Skip forward to 2:16 - First yellow chapter marker.)

[C0RI0LANUS]

11. Yes, I wouldn't want aviation debris hitting my head either like in Somerset County, PA on 9/11.

The NJSP are not military, but civilian, and can assess the situation and take photos or follow the drones to their point of origin.

BTW: Years ago we used to call the NJ State Police "Triangle Heads" because of the insignia on their hats.



Here's a shout out to my old Triangle Head friends who have since retired: "Howdy!"

[OKIsItJustMe]

15. New York State Troopers were once known as the "Gray Riders"

http://www.nysth.com/gray-rider.html

Photo Credit to J J Mulligan



https://wskg.org/history/2017-04-14/the-gray-riders