New York Governor Kathy Hochul joined a growing chorus of elected officials on Saturday urging the Biden administration to allocate federal law enforcement resources to address continuous allegations of mystery drone sightings across the Northeast. The reports, which have created airport delays and security concerns, have prompted state and federal investigations.
First reported in central New Jersey in November, suspicious drone activity has since spread to New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland. Drone activity in the air has resulted in temporary airport runway closures, including those at New York Stewart International Airport on Friday night.
Federal officials, including the White House, have attempted to play down the fears, claiming that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft operating legally. Governors and politicians in the affected states, however, are dissatisfied with these promises and are urging stronger federal intervention.
“This has gone too far,” Hochul said in a statement on Saturday, calling on the Biden administration to intervene and provide federal resources to address the issue.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also shared his concerns in a letter to President Biden on Friday, urging the government to examine the sightings and offer additional federal resources to the impacted states.
Senators from New York and New Jersey have demanded a briefing from federal agencies on the scope of the issue by December 23. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, advocated for the “shooting down” of the drones if necessary.
Hochul also urged Congress to enact the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act, which aims to improve government control of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The bill would give the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) more ability to address drone-related dangers while also streamlining the legal framework for reacting to such incidents.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby addressed the issue earlier this week, claiming that while federal officials have deployed advanced electronic detecting capabilities, they had not confirmed the purported drone sightings.
“To the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft being operated lawfully,” Kirby said during a briefing.
As public anxiety grows, policymakers demand more extensive answers and practical remedies. As investigations into the cause and nature of the drone sightings continue, federal agencies are slated to answer senators’ requests for briefings by December 23.
The mystery behind the drones remains unsolved, leaving state and federal officials rushing to reassure the public while assuring the region’s airspace safety.
