As drone sightings increase in New Jersey, authorities offer few answers

NORTH JERSEY — While there have been several official statements from government and law enforcement officials in the northern corners of the Garden State in recent weeks about the various drones in the sky, there has been little information other than a universal refrain: Tell the FBI.

The drones (as officials describe them), which some say were intended to be unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or UFOs (unidentified flying objects), caused a stir in cities like Randolph, Mendham, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Sparta, Rockaway, Dover, Jefferson, Washington Township for several weeks. Sightings have now spread further north and west, with places such as Sparta, Hardyston, Hampton, Frankford and Andover sharing their experiences.

“Our department is aware of recurring reports of drone activity around Andover Township and surrounding communities, and we recognize the public’s concern about these repeated sightings,” Andover Township police said. “There remains no known threat to public safety.”

They concluded their statement with the same advice to residents as Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Prosecutor Robert McNally, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald, Morris County Sheriff Francisco Roman, Morris County, Morris shared Plains Police Chief/President of the Morris County Police Chiefs Association Michael Koroski, President of the Somerset County Chiefs of Police Association/Hillsborough Township Police Chief Michael McMahon, Morris and Somerset County Offices of Emergency Management, Mendham Township Police Chief Ross Johnson and Randolph Mayor Christine Carey: Report what you see to the FBI.

“The appropriate district attorneys, sheriffs and emergency management offices, as well as our respective city police departments, working closely with the FBI-Newark, New Jersey State Police and partners at the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, are attempting to assure the public that “We will continue to monitor and investigate drone activity,” they said.

What the FBI says

FBI spokeswoman Amy J. Thoreson told Patch they are actively investigating the sightings, citing a focus of their investigation.

“The FBI Newark, the NJ State Police and the NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness are asking the public to report any information related to recent sightings of possible drones flying in several areas along the Raritan River,” Thoreson said.

When Patch called Wednesday about last night’s high-flying activity, Thoreson noted that they “didn’t have many answers.”

“We don’t want to guess or hypothesize about what’s going on. We’re doing everything we can to find out,” she said. “I will inform you as soon as I am able.”

Anyone with relevant information is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit it online at Tips.fbi.gov. Videos can also be uploaded to this website.

Effects

Officials had to cancel the arrival of a medical helicopter to a crash site in Somerset County last week because drones were hovering near the landing zone, a report said.

According to NJ.com, the helicopter was en route to an accident near Raritan Valley Community College on November 26 and two security guards closed the roads around the crash site. There was one seriously injured patient who had to be taken to the hospital, the report said. However, local fire officials canceled the request for the helicopter due to safety concerns because unidentified drones were flying in the area, the college’s safety officer told NJ.com.

According to previous Patch reports, the medical helicopter was able to land at a nearby airport and transport the driver to Morristown Medical Center.

The Federal Aviation Administration, at the request of federal security partners, has issued two Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) that prohibit drone flights over the Picatinny Arsenal military base until December 26 and over the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster until December 6. The FBI launched its own investigation on November 26, about 10 days after the first sightings were reported, but there have been no updates since then.

Drone operators who conduct unsafe operations that endanger other aircraft or people on the ground could face fines of up to $75,000. Additionally, the FAA can suspend or revoke the pilot certificates of drone operators.