In response to an increase in sightings, the Federal Aviation Administration has implemented temporary flight restrictions that ban drone flights over certain areas of New Jersey.
These restrictions are in place until January 17, 2025, and do not apply to drone operations that are part of national defense, homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, or disaster response missions.
Commercial drone activities can continue if a valid statement of work is provided, along with an approved special governmental interest airspace waiver, and compliance with all relevant FAA regulations is maintained.
On Saturday, Biden administration officials hosted a call addressing concerns surrounding the recent drone sightings.
Representatives from the FBI, the FAA, the National Security Council, the DHS and the DoD attended the call.
An FBI official said the agency has received 5,000 tips since the first mysterious drone was seen flying above New Jersey in November, but of those 5,000 tips, fewer than 100 warranted further investigation.
Photos taken in the Bay Shore section of Toms River of what appear to be large drones hovering in the area at high altitudes in New Jersey on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. The drones seemed to be well above the 400 feet height FAA regulations allow. (Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)
The FBI official added that investigators have found no evidence of large-scale unmanned drone activity despite the recent uptick.
“We’re doing our best to find the origin of that specific … those drone activities,” the official said. “But I think there has been a slight overreaction.”
Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
