White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that reported drone sightings that sparked panic in New Jersey last month were in fact drones authorized to fly by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and not a cause for concern.
According to Leavitt, the drones were flying over New Jersey for research and various other reasons, and were not operated by nefarious individuals. Many of the drones were also operated by hobbyists, recreational, and private individuals who enjoy flying drones.
The FAA had implemented dozens of drone bans over critical infrastructure in response to the public concern, but these bans have since expired. The new explanation is in line with what Biden administration officials said at the time, that the drone sightings were not nefarious.
Drone sightings were reported in at least six states, including New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio. Arrests have been made in connection with drone operation near restricted areas in Massachusetts and California.
The sightings began on November 18 near Morris County, New Jersey, and continued nightly, with residents reporting seeing drones hovering overhead, sometimes traveling in clusters. The FBI and DHS had previously said that most of the drone sightings were cases of “mistaken identity,” with members of the public misidentifying small, legally operating manned aircraft as drones.