FBI, State Police Investigate Mysterious Drone Sightings in New Jersey

Residents of Morris County, New Jersey, have reported that the drones typically visit houses and other locations at night, hovering in small groups for hours at a time. Video of the mysterious aircraft obtained by FLYING depicts drones that appear to be larger than those a hobbyist, such as a photographer, would typically use.

However, there is no indication as to which company made the aircraft—or who is controlling them.

“We’ve been seeing them every night, except Thanksgiving,” Mike Walsh, who said he first spotted the buzzing aircraft in the area in mid-November, told NBC New York. “I guess they took the night off.”

The FAA told FLYING it first received reports of unusual drone activity near Morris County on November 18. “At the request of federal security partners,” it said, the agency implemented temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) around Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and Picatinny Arsenal Military Base in Wharton on November 22 and 25, respectively.

The drones were also spotted by local law enforcement, according to a joint statement issued by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

“We look into all reports of unauthorized drone operations and investigate when appropriate,” the FAA told FLYING. “Drone operators who conduct unsafe operations that endanger other aircraft or people on the ground could face fines up to $75,000. In addition, we can suspend or revoke drone operators’ pilot certificates.”

Since then, the sightings have persisted. Now, federal and state investigators are getting involved.

In a joint statement issued Tuesday, local law enforcement agencies said they are working with the FBI’s Newark office, New Jersey State Police, and New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP) to investigate the mysterious sightings. Residents are being asked to share any information or video of the drones with the FBI.

“County and local law enforcement agencies are aware of the recurring reports of drone activity around Morris and Somerset counties, and acknowledge the public’s concern about these repeated sightings,” the local agencies said. “There continues to be no known threat to public safety.”

Still, the drones posed enough of a nuisance to thwart an attempt at airlifting a local crash victim to the hospital last week, a spokesperson for Raritan Valley Community College in Somerset County, told FLYING. The school is used as a landing site for helicopters with New Jersey State Police’s Emergency Medical Services Responses Program. The campus safety department helps out by clearing a landing spot.

“The college was contacted by North Branch Fire Department on November 26 at 6:40 p.m. [EST] about the incoming helicopter, and the helicopter’s landing was aborted at 6:53 p.m. when drones were seen in the area,” the spokesperson told FLYING.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Christine Carey, the mayor of nearby Randolph in Morris County, assured the public that there remains no safety threat.

“The Morris County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Management, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are monitoring and coordinating efforts regarding this drone activity,” said Carey. “We will continue to monitor this situation alongside our law enforcement partners and will provide updates when we have new information.”

The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office directed FLYING to the FBI for comment on the drone sightings. The FBI’s Newark office and New Jersey OHSP did not immediately respond to FLYING’s request for information.

Unidentified drones hovering over private property are a relatively new phenomenon but one not limited to the U.S. Earlier this month, for example, "mystery drones" that appeared to be too large for a hobbyist flew over U.S. military bases in the U.K..

The potential safety and privacy concerns are obvious, even when a drone is flying legally over private property. The FAA, recognizing this, implemented its remote identification rule in March, mandating that all registered drones broadcast live information, such as their location, via a “digital license plate.” Failure to transmit that data—which is beamed to nearby law enforcement and other airspace users to monitor traffic—could result in a fine or suspended drone license.

FLYING asked the FBI’s Newark office if the drones sighted in New Jersey appeared on the flight radar of local law enforcement but did not receive an immediate response.

Like this story? We think you'll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.