Explanation of mysterious drone sightings in the United States

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The United States government has addressed concerns over unidentified drone sightings across the country.

Authorities were first alerted to the drones in November last year, sparking a social media frenzy and prompting politicians for stricter drone regulations.

The origins of the drones were revealed in the first press briefing of the newly-instated Trump administration.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (local time), White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorised to be flown by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) for research and various other reasons.”

“This was not the enemy.”

Drones sighted near military facilities, restricted areas

Since November, hundreds of people have shared videos and photos online of bright objects in the night sky.

Although most sightings were in New Jersey, people in other states, such as Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, and New York, have also reported seeing what seemed to be drones.

In December, the country’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported thousands of drone sightings, some of which were near military facilities and restricted airspace.

“FBI has received tips of more than 5,000 reported drone sightings in the last few weeks,” it said in a statement.

“There have been a limited number of visual sightings of drones over military facilities in New Jersey and elsewhere, including within restricted airspace.”

Videos of drones flying in these regions went viral on social media sites, sparking speculation and raising concerns about national security.

Some state officials, including New York governor Kathy Hochul, called on the government to enact stricter drone regulations while granting states wider authority to address drone activity.

“This has gone too far,” Hochul said before posting on X that the federal government was sending a drone detection system to New York.

Biden administration on drone concerns

In December, the Biden administration also tried to alleviate these concerns.

John Kirby, then National Security Council spokesperson, said: “Our assessment at this stage is that the activity represents commercial, hobbyist, or law enforcement drones, all operating legally and lawfully.”

Federal aviation authorities later imposed a month-long drone ban over New Jersey and parts of New York state.

However, at the time, it wasn’t made public that the FAA was responsible for the drones.

What is the FAA?

The FAA is responsible for regulating civil aviation in the US and promoting safety in its airspace.

It is administrated by the country’s transport department, and according to its website it focuses on:

Regulating civil aviation to promote safety.
Encouraging and developing civil aeronautics, including new aviation technology.
Developing and operating a system of air traffic control and navigation for both civil and military aircraft.
Researching and developing the National Airspace System and civil aeronautics.
Developing and carrying out programs to control aircraft noise and other environmental effects of civil aviation.
Regulating US commercial space transportation.

Australia has an equivalent to the FAA called the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which regulates aviation safety in the country.