As drone sightings over New Jersey continue to raise questions, a new instrument could provide answers about the origins of these flying vehicles — if the government can get it off the ground.
Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began requiring all unmanned aircraft systems to be equipped with Remote ID technology, which makes each equipped drone uniquely identifiable to authorities, like a license plate on a car.
The FAA announced it would offer a database that would be accessible to local law enforcement, but nearly a year later, local authorities still can’t access it themselves.
“The FAA is working to develop remote data sharing capabilities for law enforcement to access FAA registration information,” the agency said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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A sign marks the entrance to the FAA headquarters in Washington, DC, on October 7. (J.David Ake/Getty Images)
According to a report published in June by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the FAA has not yet provided law enforcement agencies with a way to use Remote ID technology to respond to a potential threat or investigate suspected drone activity.
A representative of the Belleville Police Department in New Jersey confirmed to Fox News Digital that its officers do not have access to the FAA’s Remote ID database as the state deals with dozens of reported drone sightings and growing public concern about it. government’s inability to provide answers.
The East Brunswick Police Department also confirmed to Fox News Digital that it was “not aware of the FAA databases available for remote ID.”
The FAA did not respond to questions about whether the Remote ID database is being shared with local authorities for the ongoing investigation in New Jersey.
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Photos taken in the Bay Shore section of Toms River, New Jersey, show what appears to be large drones hovering in the area on December 8. (Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)
The GAO’s report shows that neither the FAA nor the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have a concrete timeline for the rollout of Remote ID access for law enforcement, resulting in potential delays as authorities try to access real-time data about drone activity.
Remote ID acts as a ‘digital license plate’ by using a broadcast signal – similar to that used by manned aircraft – to communicate a drone’s registration details, coordinates and altitude. Remote ID is typically built into the software of mainstream consumer drones or is physically connected to the craft.
“As long as there is GPS and Remote ID built into the software and system, it can be tracked just like any other aircraft,” James McDanolds, program chair of the Sonoran Desert Institute’s School of Uncrewed Technology, told Fox News Digital.
By broadcasting the signal via radio waves, instead of the internet, the signal could be accessible in areas with low internet connectivity.
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Photos taken in the Bay Shore section of Toms River, New Jersey, show what appears to be large drones hovering in the area on December 8. (Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)
Currently, local authorities must request information about an incident through an FAA Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) agent, which is then reviewed on a case-by-case basis. But the FAA has acknowledged that it is unable to effectively handle local law enforcement requests for the Remote ID program and is requesting funding from the federal government to cover the costs of the expansion.
According to the administration’s 2025 President’s Budget Submission, the FAA has requested $21.8 billion in funding from the federal government for the coming year. Additionally, the FAA has allocated $15.6 million of the budget for drone-related research and growth.
The FAA wants more money to hire more LEAP special agents whose duties will focus on investigating drone activities.
The GAO’s report raised concerns about the timeliness of these requests, citing the need for real-time data in potential emergency situations.
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The DHS, FBI, FAA and Defense Department issued a joint statement Monday discussing the origins of the drones, citing the use of technology to identify their owners.
“After carefully examining technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we have concluded that sightings to date include a combination of legal commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and wrongly stars. reported as drones,” the statement explains. “We have not observed anything abnormal and do not assess the activities to date as a risk to national security or public safety over civil airspace in New Jersey or other states in the Northeast.”
The FAA began receiving reports of drone activity in mid-November when unidentified aircraft were spotted throughout the Garden State, including Picatinny Arsenal Military Base and Trump National Golf Course Bedminster, resulting in temporary flight restrictions, known as TFRs, over sensitive areas were placed.
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A map shows the various locations where mysterious drones were spotted in the Northeast in December. (Fox News)
Citizens have reported drones of unusual size or construction. Some with a diameter of 6 feet have been spotted, according to New Jersey State Representative Dawn Fantasia, who was briefed on the issue last week. However, the federal government has maintained that the drones are responsible and are still used legally.
The FAA’s Part 107 rule states that drones can fly at night and must remain within 400 feet of the ground. Operating a drone without Remote ID can result in criminal fines of up to $250,000 and a maximum of three years in prison, with civil penalties of up to $27,500.
According to an FBI official, the FBI has received tips about more than 5,000 drone sightings in recent weeks, with fewer than 100 warranting additional investigation.
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“To be clear, authorities have not detected any malicious activity or intent at this stage,” the DHS and FBI said. said in a joint statement on Thursday. “While there is no known malicious activity in New Jersey, the reported sightings there highlight the inadequacy of current authorities.”
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Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
