Drone updates: No nationwide safety threat discovered after 5,000 ideas, FBI and different federal companies say

The 1000’s of drone sightings reported during the last month in Northeastern states do not look like “something anomalous,” nor do they current a nationwide safety or public security threat, federal officers mentioned in a multiagency assertion late Monday.

The FBI has obtained greater than 5,000 ideas in the previous few weeks about drone sightings in New Jersey and different states, mentioned the assertion, which was launched collectively by the Division of Homeland Safety, the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Division of Protection.

These ideas have resulted in about 100 leads, with federal investigators supporting state and native officers.

“Having carefully examined the technical knowledge and ideas from involved residents, we assess that the sightings thus far embrace a mix of lawful industrial drones, hobbyist drones, and legislation enforcement drones, in addition to manned fixed-wing plane, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” the joint assertion mentioned.

Uncrewed aerial drones have been lighting up the sky at night time in New Jersey and close by states for weeks, since about mid-November, resulting in concern from residents and hypothesis on-line. Some had demanded solutions from native and state officers for solutions.

The FBI and the Division of Homeland Safety have deployed infrared cameras and drone detection expertise to make sure the drones flying over the New Jersey and New York space aren’t dangerous, based on a legislation enforcement supply. Dozens of companies have been out every day to seek out solutions and observe down any operators performing “illegally or with nefarious intent,” the FBI mentioned not too long ago.

The companies are additionally social media and different images to find out what precisely is within the images. Many of the images and video depict manned plane, based on a legislation enforcement supply.

However the newly launched assertion appeared to take a sober view of the mysterious drone sightings, noting that federal official have but to determine “something anomalous and don’t assess the exercise thus far to current a nationwide safety or public security threat over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or different states within the northeast.”

“That mentioned, we acknowledge the priority amongst many communities,” the assertion mentioned. “We proceed to assist state and native authorities with superior detection expertise and assist of legislation enforcement.”

ABC Information’ Calvin Milliner, David Brennan, Luke Barr, Meredith Deliso, Luis Martinez, Matt Seyler, Aaron Katersky, Sarah Kolinovsky and Cheyenne Haslett contributed to this report.