FBI Shoots Down Drone Craze: ‘Mistaken Identity’ Involving ‘Piloted Airplane’

Fox Mulder must no longer work on The X-Files at the FBI.

Like a month of mystery Drone sightings reach fever pitch in New Jersey and were now also reported in Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a joint statement Thursday evening, essentially saying: Nothing to see here.

“We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a threat to national security or public safety or that they have a foreign nexus,” the ministry said. start of the joint declarationthen highlighted all the “personnel and technology” deployed to investigate the thousands of reports that began last month in New Jersey.

So what are all the lights or shadows in the sky, often captured in blurry cell phone video footage posted and shared on social media?

According to the FBI/DHS statement, these are “piloted aircraft or otherwise inaccurate observations.”

The statement added: “Historically, we have experienced cases of mistaken identity, where the drones reported were in fact piloted aircraft or installations. We support local New Jersey law enforcement with numerous detection methods, but we have not corroborated any reported visual sightings with electronic detection. On the contrary, after review of the available images, it appears that many of the reported sightings actually concern manned aircraft, operating legally. There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in restricted airspace.

This statement would seem to debunk one of the most serious drone sites reported by our sister media, NJ.comat Picatinny Arsenal.

In recent weeks, 11 confirmed drone sightings in Picatinny have been reported, including two sightings over Earle Naval Weapons Station in Monmouth County that have been confirmed by the military, NJ.com wrote, adding: There was also a report from a Coast Guard commander to Rep. Chris Smith of more than a dozen suspected drones pursuing a Coast Guard cutter Sunday evening.

If true, all of these drone activities would amount to serious violations of federal law, as unauthorized drone flights are prohibited over military installations.

Instead, the FBI/DHS statement appears to dismiss these incidents as inaccurate:

“We take the threat that unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can pose seriously, which is why law enforcement and other agencies continue to support New Jersey and investigate reports. To be clear, they have not discovered any malicious activity or intent at this point. Although there is no known malicious activity in New Jersey, the reported sightings there nevertheless highlight the inadequacy of current authorities,” the statement said.

The joint agencies weren’t the only federal government entities to weigh in on drone reports that seem to only be gaining momentum on social media.

As NJ.com According to reports, John Kirby, the Biden administration’s national security spokesperson, also criticized the drone placement during a press conference. press briefing Thursday.

“Upon review of the available footage, it appears that many of the reported sightings actually involve manned aircraft that are legally operated,” Kirby said.

Whether multiple government statements rejecting drone sightings will quell what is increasingly looking like a mania is another story.

What started in North Jersey, including Morris and Hunterdon counties, about a month ago with a few drone sightings, has since spread exponentially.

In Jersey, residents in more than a dozen counties across the state reported see large objects flying at low altitude hovering in the sky these last few weeks, NJ.com wrote, adding: More reports began to trickle in from the Philadelphia and Staten Island area.

And after the FBI asked the public for reports and videos of the alleged drones, the agency received more than 3,000 reports and tips. All of these were apparently debunked during the agency’s investigation, which culminated in Thursday’s joint statement.

Still, with the drone craze seemingly only spreading, it’s hard to believe this will be the final word on all those lights in the sky.

Many, it seems, want to believe him.

Where is Fox Mulder when you need him?