Officials demand explanation on mysterious drones as more sightings reported in New York metro area and beyond

New York CNN — Federal agencies are facing intense pressure to give the public more details on unexplained drone sightings in the New York City metropolitan area and beyond that have been going on for weeks over residential neighborhoods as well as restricted sites and critical infrastructure. Kathy Hochul said in a statement Saturday, adding last month she “directed the New York State Intelligence Center to actively investigate drone sightings and coordinate with federal law enforcement to address this issue.” Earlier Friday, New York Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis called the response to the sightings “outrageous,” saying there are “drones and unmanned aerial systems flying above us and our government is not telling us who’s operating them and for what purpose?” Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said the drones, often seen flying at night, have been spotted hovering over critical infrastructures including Port Liberty New York near the Goethals Bridge, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and Fort Wadsworth, one of the oldest military installations in the country. Let me explain: THREAD pic.twitter.com/ljIOnYQzjF — Andy Kim December 14, 2024 Morris County, about 30 miles west of New York City, issued a statement calling for “the federal government to marshal all federal resources at its disposal, including the military, to end the unauthorized flight of drones over our county and other parts of New Jersey.” The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office similarly said in a Facebook post they had “increased vigilance” at sensitive locations and “are analyzing data and information on a daily basis.” New York State Police said Friday afternoon in a post on X they had received “numerous reports of drone sightings over the past 24 hours” and they were investigating the reports. White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby, in a press briefing Thursday, said there was “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus.” Kirby added many of “the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully.” Mayorkas echoed Kirby’s explanation Friday, telling CNN some reported drone sightings were cases of “mistaken identity.” Mayorkas added he has been in communication with New Jersey’s governor daily. “The laws that regulate aircraft are not built to empower police to deal with the drones,” Axon CEO Rick Smith told CNN News Central Friday, “so if your local state fair has a drone coming towards it that police believe might be dangerous, right now there’s nothing they can do about it.” Hochul, the Democratic New York governor, called on Congress to pass the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act, which she said would give state and local authorities more power in dealing with unmanned aircraft systems and strengthen the FAA’s oversight of drones.