The Federal Aviation Administration has temporarily banned the use of drones without government permission in several parts of New Jersey until Jan. 17, citing “special security reasons.”
In addition to the previously issued temporary flight restrictions for Bedminster, where President-elect Donald Trump's private golf course is located, and Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility, TFRs were implemented beginning on Wednesday in Hamilton, Bridgewater, Cedar Grove, North Brunswick, Metuchen, Evesham, Camden, Gloucester City, Westampton, South Brunswick, Edison, Branchburg, Sewaren, Jersey City, Harrison, Elizabeth, Bayonne, Winslow, Burlington, Clifton, Hancocks Bridge, and Kearny.
A host of new security Temporary Flight Restrictions (red circles) are active over the state of New Jersey. The majority are SFC-400' for 1 mile around certain power switching or generation sites. Picatinney Arsenal is the outlier with a 3 mile TFR, SFC-2,000'.
— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) December 19, 2024
- pic.twitter.com/zpYOricOzc
The restrictions say no unmanned aircraft systems can operate within 1 nautical miles of the airspace specified in each NOTAM, including from the ground up to 400 feet. 400 feet is the altitude at which recreational drones are allowed to operate under FAA rules. […]
The NOTAM says the government may use "deadly force" against the drones if they pose an "imminent security threat." Pilots who fail to abide by these restrictions can be "intercepted, detained, and interviewed by the law enforcement/security personnel." The FAA can also take administrative action including imposing civil penalties and suspend/revoke the airmen certificate as well as pursue criminal charges.
This ban comes after Sunday's press briefing where an FAA official said there have "without a doubt" been drones flying over New Jersey, pointing to the fact that there are nearly a million drones are registered in the U.S. (ABC 7)
Drones being operated in support of law enforcement activities and for national defense purposes are not included in the restrictions.
The notice comes after lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee had a three-hour classified briefing from the CIA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and Defense Department this week. Democrats on the committee told reporters afterwards "there are no imminent threats to public safety" and disputed many of the theories circulating about the drones, including that the UAS are a classified government operation and may be searching for radioactive material.
Others were not convinced, saying the hearing being behind closed doors did nothing to assuage public concern.
“The fact that they’re saying ‘nothing to see here’ and yet the very next day having a classified intelligence briefing about it, you can’t have it both ways,” said Belleville Mayor Michael Melham, reports PIX11.
On Monday, the FAA released a joint statement with DHS, DoD, and the FBI saying "the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones."
Nothing "anomalous" has been observed, the statement added, noting the drone activity to date does not "present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast."