The large unidentified drones seen buzzing around New Jersey at night for the past few weeks are “very sophisticated,” NJ Governor Phil Murphy (D) said during his first press conference addressing the phenomenon, Monday. “The minute you get your eyes on them, they go dark,” he said.
Drones as large as small cars have been seen hovering near Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. The drones have reportedly been spotted in over 12 NJ counties.
The Federal Aviation Administration has temporarily restricted drone flights over these locations as the feds investigate.
The drones, often described as large, brightly lit, and loud, have also been reported over reservoirs, electric transmission lines, and police stations. Some eyewitnesses have said they are the size of small cars.
Unusual phenomena have been linked to the sightings, including a family’s report of their car clock changing while a drone hovered overhead.
Florham Park Police Chief Joseph Orlando described the drone activity as “nefarious in nature,” but the governor said authorities have found no evidence of a threat to public safety.
The mysterious objects were first spotted in the skies of northern and central New Jersey on Nov. 18 and have been sighted almost every night ever since. Unidentified drones were also spotted for the first time hovering over Staten Island last Thursday.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) released a statement on Friday calling on the feds to identify the origin of the drones.
“Following reports of unidentified flying objects that appear to be drones flying above Staten Island, I’ve requested that the Federal Aviation Administration impose temporary drone flight restrictions in the area, in addition to requesting immediate briefings from the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation,” the Congresswoman wrote. “Authorities should swiftly investigate these reports and share with the public the purpose of these drones.”
The mayors of 21 NJ towns also demanded action this week in a letter sent to Murphy, calling for a full investigation into the drones “to determine the origin, purpose and compliance with applicable regulations.”
They also demanded the “implementation of measures to prevent unauthorized or unsafe drone operations” in Morris County going forward, and “clear communication to local officials, law enforcement and residents regarding the findings of this investigation.”
“While the benefits of drone technology are widely recognized when used responsibly and transparently, the lack of information and clarity regarding these operations has caused fear and frustration among our constituents,” the mayors wrote. “Despite inquiries made to relevant authorities, we have yet to receive satisfactory answers about the purpose, operators, or safety protocols governing these flights.”
Murphy acknowledged the public’s frustration with the lack of action, but emphasized that the FBI and Homeland Security, have allegedly been been working together to discover the origins of the mysterious phenomenon.
Despite the joint investigation, the feds have apparently not come to any conclusions after several weeks.
A spokesperson for the FBI said Monday that the agency is “doing all we can to figure out what’s going on.”
“The public can continue to call our 800 line, or submit a tip online, we are acting on every substantive lead that we get,” the FBI spokesperson said.
“Nobody seems to know what it is but they’re saying there’s no threat to the public so it makes people think that they know more than they’re letting on and that’s definitely concerning to a lot of people,” NJ resident Olivia DeMattio told Fox News.
A video shared on YouTube Monday claimed to show an unidentified drone crash in NJ, but there has been no official confirmation verifying the footage.
Murphy said that there were 49 reported drone sightings on Sunday alone, mainly in Hunterdon County. “These are apparently very, as I understand it, very sophisticated. The minute you get eyes on them, they go dark,” he said.
“We’re obviously most concerned about sensitive targets and sensitive critical infrastructure,” the governor added. “See, we’ve got military assets. We’ve got utility assets. We’ve got the president-elect, one of his homes here. This is something we’re taking deadly seriously.”
Murphy encouraged NJ residents to report drone sightings to local law enforcement or the FBI, and promised: “If we have news, I’ll let you know the minute we know something.”
When asked about the incursions during a Dec. 5 news conference, Department of Defense spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder declined to comment.
Malliotakis told Fox News Monday that residents “deserve and demand answers” about the drones.
“I’ve also reached out to FAA, to the Department of Homeland Security and to the FBI asking for answers, and they are aware of these aircrafts. They are either unmanned aircrafts or drones and they are still trying to figure out where they are coming from and who’s behind them. But following what happened with the Chinese spy balloon, that simply is not enough.”