More than a month has passed since mysterious drones appeared over New Jersey.
Since then, a number of South Jersey communities have seen social media infatuation, calls for federal transparency and an official ban on drones.
Here’s what we know so far.
Photos taken in the bayside section of Toms River of what appear to be large drones hovering at high altitudes in the area. The drones were photographed between 8:33 PM and 8:49 PM with a Sony A7 IV equipped with a 600 mm lens. The drones appeared to be well above the 400-foot height that FAA regulations allow. This object in the sky was thought to be a helicopter, but there was no audible sound associated with it. Toms River, NJ Sunday December 8, 2024
On December 18, the Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary flight restrictions for a number of communities, including Camden, Evesham, Westampton, Burlington and more.
The restrictions have been introduced for ‘special security reasons’ and will last until January 17.
Pilots who violate the ban may be intercepted, detained and interviewed. The federal government has stated that it is also prepared to shoot down drones.
The ban included the following communities in South Jersey:
The Newark FBI and New Jersey State Police reminded residents in a Dec. 16 news release not to point laser pointers or guns at suspected drones.
“There could be dangerous and potentially fatal consequences if manned aircraft are mistakenly targeted as drones,” the press release said.
Since Dec. 7, there have been 15 laser incidents involving military aircraft assigned to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, a Burlington County base spokesman said Dec. 18. One pilot also received medical attention after landing and is in good condition.
According to the base spokesman, in-flight laser incidents “pose a significant hazard to pilots and the safety of flight operations.”
Although Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst said there was no connection between the laser incidents and the ongoing complaints about drones in the South Jersey area, the spokesperson asked citizens to follow FAA guidelines to ensure the safety of aircrews, passengers and the community to guarantee.
Numerous lawmakers and state representatives, including Governor Phil Murphy, have issued statements and letters calling for more transparency from federal agencies investigating the drones.
“While I am sincerely grateful for your administration’s leadership in addressing this troubling issue, it has become clear that more resources are needed to fully understand what is behind this activity,” Murphy wrote in a Dec. 12 letter to President Joe Biden.
On the same day, New Jersey Senate Republicans urged Murphy to not only push for transparency from federal agencies trying to identify where these drones are coming from, but also to ensure that drones can be captured from the air are attacked.
“You must insist that the Biden Administration immediately provide the necessary tools and resources to protect our state – including the authority to neutralize any drone that poses a threat to our residents,” the letter said in part.
Senator Nick Scutari (D-Union), chairman of the New Jersey Senate Democrats, also addressed federal officials a day earlier.
“I urge the White House to direct all relevant federal authorities to use their resources to gather as much information as possible and then provide the public with a full accounting,” Scutari wrote.
Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news in South Jersey for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times. If you have a story you want her to tell, email her at kmccormick@gannett.com. And subscribe to stay up to date with the news you need.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Drones banned over New Jersey: FAA. Is it illegal to shoot drones? Yes
