The US is deploying ‘additional resources’ for drone observations

The federal government is “deploying additional resources” to address the aerial drones that have raised concerns among East Coast residents — many in New Jersey — in recent weeks, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Sunday.

“There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” he said Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week.” “I want to assure the American public that we in the federal government have deployed additional resources, personnel and technology to assist the New Jersey State Police in addressing the drone sightings.”

Mayorkas said there are more than 1 million drones registered in the US. A Chinese national living in Northern California was arrested last week on suspicion of flying a drone over restricted airspace – over the Vandenberg Space Force Base, Mayorkas said.

“Our job is to be vigilant,” he said. “If there is any concern, if we identify any foreign involvement or criminal activity, we will communicate with the American public. We are not aware of that at this time.”

Witnesses have described clusters of lights and say they resemble drones hovering over populated areas around the state. The reported sightings have spread to New York and Maryland and have attracted the attention of residents and politicians. President-elect Donald Trump said on social media on Friday: “Can this really happen without the knowledge of our government. I don’t think so!”

Mysterious drones reported in New York: Follow weeks of sightings in New Jersey

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-New York, sparked controversy last week when she said she doesn’t believe the federal government doesn’t know what the objects are. She urged the Biden administration to “be honest with us and just tell us what’s going on.”

Malliotakis doubled down on her claims Sunday, saying lawmakers are getting “zero answers” from the White House, which she said shows the administration “knows exactly what’s going on.”

Drone sightings will not be a ‘Hollywood movie’

Rep. James Himes, D-Connecticut, was asked about the emerging conspiracy theories in an interview with Fox News Sunday. Himes said he understood why people are concerned, and he chided the FAA for not explaining to the public that the large number of commercial, private and military aircraft flying over New Jersey in a 24-hour period could be confused with drones .

“Now let me say something that I know for a fact. It’s not the Iranians. It’s not the Chinese. It’s not Martians,” Himes said. “I know this is very unsatisfying for people who want to make this into a Hollywood movie.”

Last week, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said the drone sightings appeared to involve piloted aircraft, adding there was no evidence the sightings “pose a threat to national security or public safety , or have a foreign connection’.

Kirby did say that the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI were working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide “numerous detection methods” to solve the mystery.

Chris Christie says he’s seen drones above his home amid reports of strange lights in NJ, other states

Chris Christie sees a drone from his garden

Add former Gov. Chris Christie to the list of New Jersey residents reporting mysterious “drone” sightings outside their homes. Christie said during an interview on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that he believes he saw a drone over his home last week.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’ve lived in that house for 30 years,” Christie said. “You can see why people are concerned, and it’s a lack of government communication at the federal and state levels that is to blame here,” Christie said.

Christie said he wants state police to have the authority to “take down those drones and find out why they’re doing what they’re doing.” He said he understood why people are concerned and blamed a lack of government communication at the federal and state levels for the inability to allay fears.

− Zac Anderson

‘Drone sightings’ raise concerns: But these theories can explain what’s happening

Some sightings may not be drones

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have said such sightings usually don’t appear to be drones at all. “Historically, we have experienced cases of mistaken identity where reported drones are in fact manned aircraft or facilities,” the agencies said in a joint statement.

Harry Direen, an electronics and software engineering expert at DireenTech, said he wouldn’t be surprised if people initially saw drones, but that once the idea of ​​drones took hold, people assumed that any aircraft they couldn’t identify it was a drone.

“After what were probably valid sightings of possible hobbyist drones, any aircraft may become suspicious,” he said.

− Jeanine Santucci

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US deploys ‘additional resources’ to solve mystery of drone sightings